Free Fall
by sunshineleo
Summary: Sequel to Fighting Gravity. Sir Arthur Leonardis is in exile. Keith and Allura are a couple, but not without opposition. Lotor threatens to retaliate against Arus. When Keith's greatest fear is realized, who is the real enemy? Rated M for adult themes, some sexual content, language, and violence. Please read with caution. Coming out of hiatus! Hope to finish this within 2017.
1. Chapter 1

This is a sequel to _Fighting Gravity_, my fic from last spring where Sir Arthur Leonardis transformed from a lovable rival to an antagonist that readers soon loved to hate. There was no way I could leave him alone, and I knew I would bring him back again.

A plot bunny has stuck. This is a departure for me. Normally, I focus on the romantic stuff, the relationship between Keith and Allura. This fic has drama, hurt, angst, adventure, and all the things that I hope make up a good story. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy _Free Fall. _

A/N 5/23/15 I finally have my laptop back. I have been writing and posting from my phone. Things did not always transfer properly. I am planning on going back through already posted chapters, clean them up a bit, and repost. I hope to also update before the weekend is out. Thanks for hanging with me!

Dawn

* * *

Free Fall

by Sunshineleo

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

Prologue

The Arusian judge looked over her case notes, her glasses perched on the end of her nose. Glancing up over the rims of her spectacles, she shot the defendant a menacing glare. "Sir Arthur," she barked. "After reviewing the charges brought against you, including signed statements from her royal highness, Princess Allura, and Commander Keith Kogane…" The judge paused and glanced at her notes again. "I have no choice but to find you guilty of blackmail and slander. I hereby sentence you to a five year exile from Planet Arus. You will be stripped of your noble title. Upon your return, you may lay no claim to your title or your family's holdings. Your uncle, Bruceroy Leonardis, will be named Lord of the Southern Province and will take over your ruling responsibilities." Reaching for a glass of water, the judge stopped to wet her dry throat. She took several sips before she continued to lay down her harsh punishment. "You are to make no attempt to contact Princess Allura or any member of the Royal household. Are the conditions clear?"

Exchanging a look with his uncle, the former lord hung his head in shame. "Yes, your honor."

"Do you accept your sentence?" the judge queried, cocking an eyebrow.

"I do, your Honor," Arthur replied quietly.

"Very well, then." The judge nodded in satisfaction. "You have twenty-four hours to make arrangements and get your affairs in order. You will then vacate Arus. I wish you luck in your future endeavors." The judge pounded her gavel, signaling that the short hearing was over.

Arthur watched as the judge stepped down off her bench. Narrowing his eyes, he glowered at her back as she made her way to her chamber door.

"That's what got you in trouble in the first place," scolded a voice from behind Arthur. Turning around, Arthur found his Uncle Bruceroy glaring at him, a look of disdain on his face. "I think you should just accept your fate and move forward with your life."

Arthur glared back at his uncle, the new Lord of the Southern Province. "I will never accept my fate," he spat, his voice seething with anger. His sentence had been much harsher than he had expected, probably because the royal slut and her commoner lover both issued damaging statements.

Lord Bruceroy Leonardis chose to ignore the words uttered by his disgraced nephew. Figuring they were spoken in anger, he handed the younger man an envelope. "Here," he said. "These are your documents that will get you off world. There is a passport, and your employment papers for Rydrax. There is also a Galaxy Alliance identification card and a debit card loaded with ten thousand credits. It should be everything you need to start your new life." Bruceroy watched as Arthur thumbed through the papers and plastic cards.

He looked up in disgust. "You issued my papers in the name of _Edward Leonard_. That makes me sound like an ornery old fool."

"Edward was your father's name," Bruceroy interrupted. "And Leonard is close to your true surname. I thought that way you could keep at least a small part of your old identity." Staring at his nephew, the older nobleman watched his nephew's face soften.

"Thank you, Uncle," Arthur sighed. "I appreciate your help and your support, in spite of everything."

"Yes, well," Bruceroy replied gruffly. "It is what it is, isn't it? You made your bed, and unfortunately, now you must lie in it. I believe that is an old Terran saying I heard once."

Arthur's expression hardened at the lack of sympathy emanating from his uncle. Standing up straighter, he looked his uncle in the eye. "Please take care of the southern province for me. I have every intention of coming back."

"In five years," his uncle corrected him. "And even then, you can make no claim to the title or our holdings. It seems this self-imposed bachelor must seek out a wife and sire an heir if a Leonardis is meant to continue to rule the south."

"I won't let this be the downfall of our family, Uncle," Arthur growled. "I promise you that. Leonardis will be a proud name again." A dangerous light gleamed in Arthur's brown eyes.

Bruceroy stepped back in fear. His nephew's eyes burned with hate and revenge. If he wanted to move forward and save his family's name and reputation, it was time to cut ties with the young man standing in front of him. "Good luck to you, Arthur, I mean Edward. May the gods bless and protect you on your journey." Reaching out his hand, he offered a final, parting handshake.

Accepting his uncle's gesture, Arthur shook Bruceroy's hand and nodded. Without another word, the young, former lord turned on his heel and exited the courtroom quickly. His uncle would rule the southern province justly, but his uncle was a fool. If he thought that Arthur would go quietly, the older lord had a lot to learn.

Arthur would go for now. He would leave Arus, and he would bide his time. But he would not be gone forever. A certain Arusian princess and her commoner, Terran lover had a price to pay. And Arthur would make sure that they paid dearly.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

Revised slightly 5/23/15

* * *

Chapter 1

"But think of everything that Commander Kogane has done for Arus." The princess of Arus's voice pleaded as she argued on behalf of her beloved Keith, her voice rising in exasperation. "That alone should make him worthy!" Suddenly, Allura's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "I love him, and he loves me. Why will you not approve his appeal?" Turning to her advisor, she shot a look that pleaded with him. _Help me_, her blue eyes screamed.

Her advisor spoke in his cultured rumble. "Ladies and gentleman of the council, what further evidence do you need? Commander Kogane has proven his loyalty to the princess and Planet Arus time and time again. He has served faithfully as Commander of Voltron, leader of the Arusian military, and as advisor to her Highness. He is beloved by the princess, and he is beloved by her people. He will make a good husband and a just king." The royal advisor looked at each council member in turn.

Lord Bruceroy Leonardis fixed his steely gray eyes first on the princess and then on her advisor. "We are all aware of Kogane's accomplishments. Though we are grateful to him for everything he has done for you, your Highness, and for Arus, the fact remains that he is not of royal blood. He is a commoner and an off-worlder. If the council approves him as your suitor, we will be breaking two millennia of tradition."

Lady Crystali Angsley interrupted with her voice soft as she spoke directly to Allura. "Your Majesty, we do not doubt the love you hold for Commander Kogane. Based on that and his merit, it really is a simple decision. I don't understand the protests being offered by Lord Leonardis and other members of this council."

"But tradition must be considered," Lord Bruceroy shot back. "We must think about the repercussions if we break from that tradition." Narrowing his eyes, the lord turned his gaze to Lady Crystali. "Just because you chose to marry the son of a stable groom does not mean that is the right decision for Princess Allura. She is the monarch of this entire planet; you simply rule the Eastern Lands. It is not the same."

"Love is love," Lady Crystali argued. "And Matthew was loved and respected as the lord of my lands, despite his humble beginnings. The argument against his appeal because he is a commoner is irrelevant."

"It is very relevant," Lord Bruceroy protested.

The princess's soft voice broke into the escalating argument. "Why don't we vote?" she suggested. "All in favor of accepting Commander Kogane's appeal as suitor say Aye!" Looking hopefully around the table, the beautiful Arusian monarch raised her hand. She saw that Koran, Lady Angsley, and Lord Dearling also voted in favor. "All those opposed?" Her bubble of hope burst when she saw that the other three council members, along with Lord Leonardis, raised their hands. The vote was tied. "We are in a deadlock," she concluded as she looked over at Koran. "What do we do?"

Koran quickly rose from the table and pulled a large tome off the shelf. Setting it on the table, he quickly thumbed through the index of the Arusian Chronicles. Finding the page he was looking for, the advisor opened the book and began to read. "In the event of a deadlock vote between the members of the council and the monarch, a vote will go to the people. They will be the deciding factor." He showed the passage to each of the council members in turn. Slamming the book closed, he smiled when he caught the princess's eye. "We let the people decide. We go to a planet-wide vote."

Crossing his arms across his chest, Lord Bruceroy sat back in his chair. "That is ridiculous."

"That is the law," Allura retorted regally. Rising from her chair, the princess looked every part the queen she would become. "Koran," she ordered. "Prepare an announcement to go out to the people. Next week, the people will vote on whether or not we accept Commander Kogane's appeal as royal suitor." Looking at each council member in turn, she allowed her azure eyes to bore into theirs. "The council will accept however the people vote. All in favor say Aye!"

Seven of the eight council members voted "Aye!" Lord Bruceroy hesitated for a moment, before he too conceded. "Aye," he mumbled quietly.

The princess grinned in victory and satisfaction. She didn't doubt the way her people would vote. They loved Keith and would happily accept him as their future king. Nodding at Koran, she silently communicated that he could officially end the council meeting.

"If there is no more business, I call the council meeting adjourned. Thank you for your time," he stated as he stood. Catching the princess's eye, he offered a small smile that quirked under his bushy mustache. He caught her triumphant smile. He knew she was probably bursting to go and tell Keith her good news. Nodding, he granted her silent permission to leave the council chambers. He chuckled in amusement as he watched her gather her skirts and walk quickly toward the council room door. Once through the door, the princess would throw all decorum to the wind as she raced down to Castle Control to find Keith. The commander's shift there would be ending very soon.

Grabbing his walking stick, Koran ambled toward the door. He started as Lady Angsley fell into step beside him and followed him down the hall. Looking down at the attractive widow, Koran cocked an eyebrow as he waited for her to speak. She simply strode beside him in companionable silence until they reached the castle foyer. Just before he turned to head up the stairs to Castle Control, the lady broke her silence. "You know the princess and the commander have the people's support, don't you, Koran?"

"Do they, Lady Angsley?" Koran replied coolly. He wasn't sure he could entirely trust Lady Angsley.

"No doubt, Koran. I know that the people of the Eastern Lands will follow my lead," the lady tried to assure him. "You will have the votes of Altea, the Northwest, the Northeast and the West. It is really only the South that lies in question."

Koran furrowed his eyebrows in concern. "Why is that?"

"Lord Bruceroy is powerful. His opposition to the commander is fueled by the exile of his nephew," she explained. "I worry that his people will follow suit."

"This is about his nephew!" Koran exclaimed in exasperation. "That boy created his own mess. His sentence was appropriate. He tried to blackmail the princess into marrying him amidst false accusations…" His voice trailed off as his temper uncharacteristically flared.

"The blackmail was wrong," Lady Crystali agreed. Placing a hand gently on the advisor's arm, she gazed up into the advisor's ruggedly handsome face. "I doubt that his other accusations were entirely false." She smiled as a look of bemusement crossed Koran's face. "Come on, Koran, you were young and in love once. With the obvious depth of their feelings, I doubt that the relationship between the beautiful princess and her handsome commander is really as innocent as it seems." Without realizing it, the noblewoman subconsciously squeezed Koran's forearm.

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, Koran took a step back, pulling his arm from Crystali's grasp. "I will neither confirm nor deny the nature of the relationship between Keith and the princess. They are entitled to a little bit of privacy. But be assured, Keith has the noblest of intentions where our princess is concerned."

"I don't doubt that at all," Lady Crystali agreed. "Commander Kogane may not be of noble blood, but there is no one nobler in spirit."

Smiling underneath his mustache in spite of himself, Koran looked gratefully at the petite woman. "Thank you, Lady Angsley. The princess will be so grateful for your support."

Waving him off, she turned and headed toward the door. "Never mind that," she said. "Our princess deserves to marry her love." She paused and turned back toward Koran. "Don't you think we all deserve that?" she mused. As her eyes lingered on Koran's face, she continued, "The people will come through for their princess. The news after the vote will be good. Now, I must go and issue a press release to my people." She turned and walked out the door.

Letting out the breath he didn't know he had been holding, Koran watched as the door closed behind her. He knew the people loved Keith; they appreciated what he did for their planet. But would they allow him to marry their princess? Despite Lady Angsley's positive words, a seed of doubt formed in the pit of Koran's stomach. If the vote failed to go the way they hoped, they would have to find another way to get the council to accept Keith's appeal. He had some research to do. Starting back up the stairs, the princess's advisor turned right instead of going to the Control Room. In the library, he hoped he would find the answers he needed.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

Revised 5/23/15

* * *

Chapter 2

Sitting in the comfort of the dark, Allura gazed out at the expansive night sky through the observation room's floor-to-ceiling windows. After leaving the council chambers, she bounded to Castle Control in search of Keith, but he was nowhere to be found. Questioning the young Arusian guard on duty, she learned that Keith and Hunk had taken the Black and Yellow Lions down to the village of Eldar in the Southern Province to check on some intelligence that had been reported. The young guard had no idea what the information was or how long the commander and his lead mechanic would be gone. Disappointed that she wouldn't be able to immediately share her good news, the princess wandered down to the library to find something to occupy her time while she waited for Keith to return.

It was in the library that she found Koran. Sitting at one of the large tables, her trusted advisor had dozens of books spread out all around him. When asked what he was doing, he calmly explained that he was looking for a loophole should the vote not go the way they hoped.

Staring at her father figure, the princess stood shocked. Never entertaining the thought that the people wouldn't vote in favor of Keith, she listened as Koran recanted his conversation with Lady Angsley. He explained that the research was just a precaution, in case the people of the Southern Province voted in support of their lord. He worried that other old timers and old-fashioned thinkers could follow suit. He doubted it would be enough to tip the majority, but he wanted to be prepared just in case. He also wanted Allura to be ready, just in case.

Not wanting to hear any more, the princess quickly fled the library, tears streaming down her face. _The Southern Province_, she thought. _Artie's lands; Artie's people_. Of course, they would be the ones to disrupt her otherwise perfect and happy life. Wanting more than anything to be held by Keith, the princess despaired when she found out he had still not returned. Sending a message directly to his communicator, she urged him to hurry home and seek her out in the observation lounge. He messaged back that he would return within the hour.

Sighing deeply, Allura caught sight of a bright object streaking across the night sky. The object approached Black's pedestal and settled on top of it. When its lights disappeared, Allura knew that Keith was back from his mission. He would be finding her soon. She had about ten minutes to compose herself before she faced the man she loved.

She realized she couldn't classify the results of the council meeting as good news or bad news. The problem was that there was _no _news. Keith's appeal hadn't been approved, and it hadn't been rejected. It was now in the hands of the people to decide if the commander was worthy of their princess. Once again, they found their relationship in a weird sort of limbo, dictated by duty and blood. At least this time the limbo wasn't self-imposed, created by the princess herself.

Months before, Princess Allura entertained a young Arusian nobleman from the Southern Province named Lord Arthur Leonardis. It appeared to everyone that an engagement was imminent, until Keith cornered the princess one day after lion practice and admitted that he had fallen in love with her. His confession sent the princess into an emotional spiral of turmoil and confusion. Torn between her duty to her people and tradition and her undeniable attraction to Keith, the young monarch didn't know what to do. When she realized she loved Keith, she cut ties to Arthur and pursued a romantic relationship with her commander. But Arthur refused to go quietly. He illegally obtained evidence of their secret affair and threatened to reveal their premarital liaisons to the masses at the celebration ball. Thanks to the help of a young couple who worked at the castle, and the members of the Voltron Force, Arthur's evidence was destroyed before it could be revealed. The only good thing that came from Arthur's attempted blackmail was the forced public revelation of Keith's and Allura's feelings for each other. The people of Planet Arus at first seemed thrilled, but that fact would remain to be seen until the planet-wide vote could occur. Allura sighed deeply as she contemplated her people voting against Keith. Lost in her thoughts, the princess failed to notice the door to the observation deck open or the familiar footsteps that followed.

Keith watched the princess for several minutes before he cautiously approached her. His heart lurched when he saw how sad she looked. Having just left Koran in Castle Control, the commander knew about the council meeting and the call for the planet-wide vote. Trying to chalk down his own trepidation, he planted a smile on his face and feigned a cheerful disposition. "Hey you," he greeted her quietly. "I hurried as quickly as I could when I got your message."

Sighing in resignation, the princess glanced up at the sound of his voice. "Hey yourself," she replied. "Boy, am I glad to see you." The princess's sapphire eyes met Keith's ebony ones, her doubt and sadness apparent in her gaze.

"So then why the long face?" he asked as he walked over to sit next to her on the plush couch. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her gently on her temple. "Talk to me, Princess."

A fresh set of tears escaped from the corners of the princess's eyes. Her voice cracked as she told him what had happened. "The council couldn't come to a decision. We were deadlocked, four in favor of your suitor appeal, four against."

Frowning, Keith tightened his arms around her. "I know," he admitted. "I ran into Koran in Castle Control when I got back from Black. He told me what had happened."

Allura suddenly sat up. "Did he find what he was looking for?" she asked excitedly.

Shaking his head, Keith shifted his gaze from her beautiful face to the view of the countryside. "No," he said. "But he told me about the vote. Are you really that concerned that the people will vote against us?"

"I wasn't until Koran brought up the possibility," Allura replied. "I thought it would be a landslide victory. What is the phrase that Lance uses? A no brainer?" Allura's brows furrowed as she remembered Koran's musings about from where the opposition would come. "Koran seems to think that the people of the Southern Province could vote against us in support of Lord Bruceroy. He shows the strongest opposition to our courtship."

"Lord Bruceroy?" Keith repeated. "Artie's uncle?"

The princess nodded as a scowl crossed her beautiful face. Shuddering at the mention of her former suitor, Allura pleaded with Keith. "Please don't mention that name. I don't want to think about him right now, or ever again."

"Well, you won't have to," Keith paused as the tone of his voice changed. His black eyes danced with the good news that he hoped would bring a smile to his love's face. "He's gone."

"What do you mean?" the princess implored, her eyes brightening just a little.

"He's gone," Keith reiterated. "I got confirmation from Arusian Intel that he left on a transport this afternoon." Pulling her back into his arms, Keith pressed a kiss to Allura's forehead. "Arthur Leonardis's exile from Arus began today. Yellow Lion and Black Lion escorted the ship past the edge of the Diamond Quadrant. We're free."

Smiling in relief, Allura returned Keith's hug fiercely. "We're free!" Her face fell as she realized they weren't completely off the hook. "Not quite, Keith. We still have to get through this vote."

"Let's worry about the vote tomorrow," Keith suggested huskily. He moved his lips from her head to linger near her ear. "It seems like we may need to occupy our attention with other things for a while this evening." He felt Allura's sharp intake of breath as he nipped at the pink shell of her earlobe.

Closing her eyes, the princess allowed Keith's nearness to shift from a feeling of comfort to the flame of longing. Her whole body trembled as a wave of lust and desire washed over her. Turning her head, she pressed her mouth to his. When a quiet moan escaped him, she prodded gently with her tongue, coaxing his lips apart so she could deepen the kiss.

Wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his lap, he returned her heated kiss passionately for several minutes. Begrudgingly pulling away, he leaned his forehead against hers. "Ok," he growled. "Your room. Now!"

Letting out a small squeal of joy, Allura rose from the couch and pulled him up alongside her. "Meet me in ten minutes. Use the secret passage, so you're not seen." Though there was no secret among the princess's guardians and the Voltron Force that the couple was involved intimately, secrecy still had to be observed around the rest of the castle staff. Keith could not be seen arriving at or leaving from the princess's quarters, or she from his. It was that very situation that almost created the scandal surrounding Lord Arthur in the first place.

Keith nodded. "See you in ten." Leaving the observation deck, the commander headed to his own quarters to change and ready himself for the night ahead. Bounding down the hall, Keith shifted as his body tightened in lustful anticipation.

Allura smiled to herself as she watched him go. Sighing happily, she decided she would forget about the vote, Artie, Lord Bruceroy, and everything else for the night. Instead she would surround herself with the love and pleasure that only Keith could bring. Humming happily, she headed to her quarters to await her commander.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

Revised 5/23/15

* * *

Chapter 3

Groaning inwardly at the pain in his head, Arthur slowly opened his eyes to the sight of unfamiliar surroundings. Confusion and fear filled him as it had every morning for the past two weeks. Sitting up, he blinked as he looked around at the small studio style apartment that had become his home. His bed took up the majority of the tiny room. To his left stood a plain wooden dresser, a viewer propped on top of it. Next to the dresser, the open door to the minuscule bathroom revealed the room's darkened, claustrophobic interior. Across from where he lay in bed, a kitchenette with a minifridge, microwave, and hot plate comprised the entire far wall. His few meager belongings lay on the shelves that lined the final wall to Artie's right. With a painful groan, his new reality hit him like a ton of bricks.

He was on Planet Rydrax, a small alliance planet located about halfway between Arus and Earth. Rydrax was rich in rydraxium. Rydraxium was an extremely strong metal compound discovered after Earth had all but exhausted the planet of most of its natural resources. The Gallaxy Alliance found that rydraxium was lighter and stronger than both titanium and steel and began using it to build and maintain its massive space fleet. Relying on Rydrax to provide the rydraxium they needed, the GA soon annexed Rydrax and colonized it as an industrial planet. All of Rydrax's residents were off-worlders from all over the galaxy brought in to mine and purify that priceless ore.

Arthur begrudgingly rose from his bed and headed to his tiny shower so he could begin preparing for his job. He groaned as he faced another day of mundane work. His uncle had used his connections with the Galaxy Alliance to secure a position for Arthur with the Rydraxian Ore Company. Working sixty hours a week in a dark, dingy office, he served as the office manager maintaining the company records and entering daily mining data into the company's computer system. It was long, tedious, and brainless work. He could make more money as a miner or an ore specialist, but he didn't have the physical strength or expertise for either of those jobs, so he had to settle for the office gig.

Glancing at the clock to see he had just enough time to grab a bit of breakfast, the young Arusian was surprised when his viewer suddenly chirped, indicating an incoming call. Answering the call with a swipe of his hand across the sensor, Arthur stood bewildered when his uncle's face solidified into view. Having not heard from Arus since he was disgraced at his sentencing hearing, Arthur couldn't fathom what his uncle could possibly want. "Why hello, Uncle," he greeted his elder drolly. "To what do I owe this honor?"

"Hello, Edward," Bruceroy replied, using Arthur's new name. Arthur flinched slightly at the sarcastic undertones in his uncle's voice. "I am calling because I have some unfortunate news to share."

"What is it?" Arthur asked quickly, sitting up straighter. "Is everything ok?" Though he hated the Arusian royal house and the Voltron Force, he loved Arus. He didn't want any destruction to come to his home world.

"I guess it depends on how you look at it," Bruceroy sighed in defeat. "It seems that the princess has officially chosen her suitor and the people have approved it. The princess and Commander Kogane are officially engaged."

"What?" Arthur stood shell shocked. "The vote went through? The people approved it? How could that be? I thought our people…" His voice trailed off.

"The vote came in seventy-five percent in favor. The commander had enough support in the other provinces and Altea to have the vote in his favor. There is nothing we can do. By Arusian law, the people have the final say," Bruceroy explained the political activities of the last couple of weeks on Arus. He himself could not believe that the vote was such a landslide. Though he expected Keith to garner enthusiastic support, he never expected it would be that much.

Arthur tried to keep his anger in check. "How did the people of the Southern province vote?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Thirty-five percent in favor, sixty-five percent against. But it wasn't enough to sway the vote. I campaigned hard against the courtship in our lands and in the lands of our supporters, but it was to no avail." Rubbing his hand against his forehead, the older lord looked at his nephew, trying to read his thoughts.

Arthur kept his face expressionless, though inside he raged. "Well, if the people of Planet Arus accept an orphan pilot and off-worlder as worthy of our princess, I guess there is nothing we can do about it. The Arusian people have spoken."

Bruceroy gazed at Arthur speculatively. He had a hard time accepting his nephew's nonchalant attitude toward his news. Shrugging, he dismissed his suspicious thoughts. Maybe his nephew really was trying to turn over a new leaf. "Well, yes," the lord cleared his throat. "I just thought you should know. Everything else is well here, though the Castle of Lions is anticipating an attack from Doom in response to the news of the princess's engagement. We are on high alert for an indefinite length of time."

Shaking his head as if listening, Arthur was lost in his own thoughts. "Yes, well, that's good," he replied absentmindedly. Glancing at the clock, he noticed that he was due at work in twenty minutes. Abruptly changing the subject, he snapped his eyes back to his uncle's and stated, "Listen, Uncle, thank you for calling, but I really must go. I have to be at work soon." When he received a nod in reply, he quickly turned off the viewer before his uncle could say anymore.

Now free from the scrutinizing gaze of his uncle, Arthur allowed his anger to get the better of him. "How dare you, Commander?" he seethed. "How dare you think you can rule beside our princess?" He glared at the picture of the happy couple that he kept tacked to his wall. He printed the picture from the internet after the news of the Celebration Ball had been announced. His finger traced down the breathtaking profile of the princess of Arus. "You are so much better than that Terran scum. You deserve someone of royal status, and if not me, then someone who will bring glory back to the throne." With the wheels in his mind turning, he finished the task of preparing for work.

With anger raging deep in his gut, Arthur left his modest apartment and stood to wait for his transport to his office. As he locked his door, his attention was diverted to the large Drule miner who lived just down the hall. Though the two did not work together, they started and ended their days at the same time, using the same transport to travel to and from their respective jobs.

The large Drule kept mostly to himself. Arthur didn't know much about him, other than that he had been exiled from Doom. Much like Arthur himself, he came to the only place that seemed to want the misfits of the galaxy. Glancing up at the Drule as he walked past him to the stairs that would take him down to the transport stop, Arthur offered a friendly smile.

The Drule stared at him, not returning his smile. But there was a glint of surprise in his yellow eyes.

With his confidence fueled by the emotion he saw, Arthur pushed a little further. "Good morning," he offered just before he pushed open the door to the stairwell.

"Morning," the Drule grumbled in a low, gruff voice. His yellow eyes watched the short Arusian warily. When the young man said no more, the Drule followed him down the stairs.

No more words were exchanged that morning, or for several mornings that followed, but Arthur would soon find that those two simple words were all he needed to set his plan and future in motion.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

Revised 5/23/15

* * *

Chapter 4

Awakened by the blaring of the klaxons, Keith jumped quickly out of Allura's bed. Grabbing for his pants, he shoved one leg in and then the other as he tried to shake the sleep from his eyes. Standing up, he buttoned his shirt and grabbed his boots. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Allura had dressed quickly and stood waiting for him to make the dash down to Castle Control. Pulling on his white boots, he stood and nodded at her. "Ready?" he asked as he headed to the door that led to the secret passageway.

"Ready!" she replied as she turned toward her chamber door. "See you in five." They separated and headed on their own routes to the Castle's defense hub.

Five minutes later, Keith ran into Control. Catching Allura in his peripheral vision as she entered just behind him, he was relieved to see that Lance, Pidge, and Hunk were already there. "Report!" he barked.

Koran sat at the main computer console. His fingers flew effortlessly over the keyboard and buttons, and his brown eyes lay fixated on the various monitors and screens in front of him. "It seems that Doom has sent an attack fleet. There is a command ship and several fighter transports. I have not detected a Robeast coffin, yet," Koran reported to the Voltron commander.

"Incoming communication," interrupted a castle guard to the left of Koran. "It seems the message originated on the command ship."

"On screen," commanded Keith. Rising to his full height of six foot three, he crossed his arms across his chest as he stood behind Koran. Keith in full on commander-mode was a very imposing sight, and he knew it. Knowing who was calling, he wanted to show the prince of Doom that he wasn't the least bit intimidated. When the screen flickered on, a light blue face framed with long white hair filled the huge screen of Castle Control. Bright yellow eyes narrowed as eye contact was made with the commander. "Lotor," Keith confirmed his suspicion when he saw the prince of Doom's face on the screen. "What do you want?"

Ignoring the red suited commander, Lotor fixed his eyes instead on the lovely vision in pink standing just behind Keith. "Princess Allura," he purred silkily. "Good morning! I understand that congratulations are in order." Arching a white eyebrow, Lotor allowed his gaze to take in every inch of the princess of Arus.

Fighting the urge to flinch in disgust, Allura maintained eye contact evenly with the Doomian prince. "Is this how you offer congratulations, Lotor? By sending an attack fleet?" Crossing her arms, she moved to stand next to Keith.

The subtle message did not go unnoticed by Lotor. Growling under his breath, Lotor shifted his smile into a menacing sneer. "I am not here to attack," Lotor corrected her. "I am simply here to allow yourself to rectify your mistake."

Confusion crossed Allura's delicate features. "Rectify my mistake?" she repeated. "And what mistake would that be?"

"Accepting a commoner as a suitor is beneath you, Princess," Lotor informed her. "We all know the Commander Kogane should not be king."

"Not you, too," the annoyed princess muttered under her breath. She had had about enough of people telling her who she should or shouldn't marry. To Lotor, she said, "All is in order, Lotor. Keith has proposed; the council has accepted. We are engaged, and there is nothing you can do about it."

"Your council has accepted, but not without protest," Lotor countered. "Though I care nothing about the internal politics of Arus, I do know that you had to resort to a vote of the people in order to get your council to accept Commander Kogane. Fooled by the false sense of security that Kogane brings to your planet, of course the people accepted." Lotor spat out the forceful words. "As a member of the ruling family of another planet in the Denubian Galaxy, I have a right to protest your engagement and offer an alternative. I offer myself as a suitor, Princess Allura, along with all the wealth and prestige that comes along with Doom. I also offer a promise of peace and protection between our two worlds at the consummation of our marriage." His yellow eyes gleamed lustfully as he subconsciously licked his lips. "Have your people vote on that!" he challenged.

"When will you accept that she will never be yours, Lotor?" Keith interrupted. Shaking his head, the commander wrapped his arms around the princess, a gesture that she accepted and returned wholeheartedly. "She loves me, and she will marry me. No promise of peace will ever be honored, because you don't mean it. Your objective is to own her and nothing else. You have no wish for peace; only for conquest and destruction. Good-bye, Lotor."

"You think you know me so well, Commander," Lotor protested. He turned his eyes back to the princess, and he spoke directly to her. "I do love you, Allura, enough that I would change my ways if I could truly have the opportunity to be with you. Will you not consider my proposal?" His yellow eyes pleaded with her, an uncharacteristic look of tenderness evident in their yellow depths.

Staring transfixed for a moment at the look in the prince's eyes, Allura quickly shook herself out of the strange reverie. With less force in her voice, she refused the Doomian prince. "No, Lotor," she reiterated softly. "I will not marry for duty or for false promises. I went down that road before, and where it led frightened me. I will only marry for love, and for the good of Arus. Keith holds both my heart and Arus in his hands." Turning away, she wrapped her arms around Keith.

Rage enveloped the prince of Doom. "You will regret this decision, Princess Allura," he seethed quietly. "You had your chance to come willingly. Now, it is time to claim you forcefully." With that, the screen went black. Laser fire shook the Castle of Lions as Lotor's fleet began an all-out assault.

"Raise the dais," Keith barked to Koran. "To the Lions!" he commanded the Voltron Force.

The five pilots ran to their respective chutes. As Keith grabbed his T bar, he mentally prepared his battle strategy. He knew Doom's response to the announcement of the princess's engagement would be fierce. He just hoped Voltron could make quick work of Lotor's fleet with minimal casualties and minimal damage. _Please let Lotor have kept the Robeast at home this time, _ he prayed as he was raised into the cockpit of Black Lion. Placing his key in the slot, Keith grabbed his controls as Black Lion roared to life. Pulling back, Keith maneuvered the mighty cat into the fray of the battle.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Emerging from Castle Lake, Allura gauged the battle in front of her. She could see Yellow Lion and Green Lion taking out dozens of Doomian fighters. Red Lion engaged the command ship, dodging laser fire as if he were dancing. Firing back with his flame canon, the Red Lion melted the turrets on the port side of the ship. Just before she was about to assist Lance, Allura heard Keith's voice come over her private comm channel.

"Allura," Keith said. "I want you to stay back. Defend the castle, but stay back. I worry that Lotor's objective will be to isolate you and take you."

"But Keith, Lance needs my help…"

"That's an order, Princess," Keith interrupted her forcefully.

Flinching, the princess recognized that tone of voice. This was her commanding officer speaking, not her fiancé or partner. She could not disobey a direct order. This was one of the areas of their relationship where their roles were clearly defined, and as they got romantically involved, Allura had promised not to tread into areas of gray when Keith was in command. Gulping down her protest, Allura simply nodded at Keith on the view screen and replied, "Aye, Sir."

In the cockpit of Black Lion, Keith let out a huge sigh of relief when he saw Allura turn Blue Lion back in the direction of the castle. Knowing that she was out of immediate danger, he turned his attention back to the battle and surveyed the situation.

Lotor's battle ship loomed large and black in the sky just above the Castle of Lions. Doom fighters darted to and fro, followed closely behind by Green and Yellow Lions. Seeing that Hunk and Pidge seemed to have the fighter situation under control, Keith turned Black Lion to assist Lance.

"Need some help, Red?" Keith quipped over the comm as he swooped past Red Lion, firing a volley of lightning blasts at the weakening Doom ship. The huge ship quaked as it was struck.

"I have this all under control," Lance answered back as he hit the ship from underneath with ion darts. Noticing the ship's huge cargo door beginning to open, Red's pilot warned his commander, "Watch out, Keith! Door opening. We may have a Robeast."

"Roger that, Lance," Keith confirmed. His dark eyes watched as the huge door slowly opened.

Emerging from the huge cargo hold was not a Robeast, as Keith expected, but a sleek black ship shaped like a Terran bat. It hovered in the air as it turned to face Black Lion. Keith watched the ship carefully. He knew who was on board; he could feel those leering yellow eyes boring into the cockpit. Suppressing a shudder, he made to engage his mortal enemy.

Before Keith could fire a shot, the black ship turned and streaked away, heading toward the blackness of space. Keith moved to give chase, when suddenly Pidge's voice came over the comm. "Commander," Pidge chirped. "Scans indicate that Lotor is no longer on board the command ship which is retreating. Drule fighters have been obliterated."

"Thanks, Pidge," Keith replied. "I think Lotor was on the black ship that emerged from the cargo hold. He high tailed it out of here."

"Should we go after him, Chief?" Hunk asked.

Considering it for a moment, Keith caught sight of Allura's expression over the view screen. Her blue eyes pleaded with Keith to stand down. Reading her, he could see that she just wanted the battle over and to return to the safety of the castle. Nodding to her, he turned back to Yellow's pilot. "No, stand down. Let him go."

Sighing in relief, Allura acknowledged Keith's decision with a small smile. Realizing suddenly that they won the battle too easily, she wondered aloud, "I wonder why there was no Robeast. Lotor usually has a Robeast for back up when his fleet takes a beating."

Lance laughed. "Do you want a Robeast, Princess? I am sure we can go find one on Doom if you really want to battle one."

"Stop, Lance," Keith warned. "I understand what Allura is saying." Four sets of eyes turned to look at the commander. "That was too easy. I don't think Lotor intended to attack."

"Well then what did he intend, Chief?" Hunk asked sarcastically. "That Allura would go willingly?"

"I don't know, Hunk," Keith replied. "But we need to be on alert. Lotor will be back. And he will have a clear objective in mind." Swallowing hard, Keith looked into the blue eyes of Allura.

"And what will that be, Keith?" Lance inquired with concern evident in his voice.

Allura gasped when she saw the look on Keith's face. His expression was no longer that of her commanding officer, but that of the man who loved her. Concern, worry, and fear were etched across his handsome features. Not waiting for Keith to reply, she gasped as she covered her mouth with her hand. "He will be coming after me."

VVVVVVVVVVVV

Aboard his escape ship, Lotor growled angrily as he gripped his controls. He hadn't meant to engage the Voltron Force. Now returning to Doom with yet another defeat on his record, he knew his father would be livid. Removing his winged helmet, he set it on the floor and pinched his nose as he considered what to do.

He loved Allura. Besotted with her beauty from the moment he saw her years ago, he pledged she would be his. At first, the attraction was purely physical; over the years, that attraction had deepened into something that was much more than just lust. He admired her compassion, her loyalty to her people, and her unrelenting fighting spirit. She would make an ideal queen for the prince of Doom, someone to rule with him, at his side.

Today's mission was intended to be a legitimate bid for Allura's hand. Knowing his proposal would most likely fall on deaf ears, he felt he had to try. Hoping the promise of peace would appeal to the battle weary princess, he meant what he said about ending the war. He himself was tired of the constant fighting. He wanted to settle down with the woman he loved. If Kogane were not in the picture, perhaps he would stand half a chance.

Approaching Doom's atmosphere, Lotor mentally prepared himself for the lashing that he knew was coming from his father. Ignoring the small pang in his heart, Lotor schooled his features and hailed the Doomian control tower.

"Welcome home, Sire," came the response to his hail. "King Zarkon requests an audience with you at your earliest convenience."

Groaning, the prince of Doom prepared to land. He knew that "his earliest convenience" meant immediately. "Acknowledged," Lotor replied. Strategizing in his mind, he began plotting his next assault on Arus and how he would ensure that the princess would be his next time. He knew he had to have a flawless plan in place if he hoped his father would listen to him at all.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry it's been awhile. Be warned; this chapter contains some strong language. Read at your own risk. Rated M as a result. Enjoy!

* * *

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

Revised 5/24/15

* * *

Chapter 5

Sitting on the transport after finishing another long day at work, Artie absentmindedly watched the evening broadcast of the galaxy news. His attention was instantly riveted when he heard_ Planet Arus _ come from the lips of the news anchor.

"Doom attacked Planet Arus yet again," the pretty Arulian anchor reported. "Prince Lotor came to request the hand of Arus's Princess Allura. Reportedly, she refused and the prince of Doom attacked in retaliation." Pausing to check her notes, the anchor continued. "The attack followed the formal announcement of the engagement of Princess Allura to Commander Keith Kogane, leader of Arus's Voltron Force. The Castle of Lions reports that the battle was short and that the Voltron Force was victorious. Doom has no comment. In other Garrison news..."

Artie turned his attention away from the newscast as the anchor moved onto the next story. Looking out the windows at the dark street, Artie mumbled to himself, "Fuck Kogane. Fuck Allura..."

"Fuck Lotor, too," came a gruff voice to Artie's right. "All fools."

Glancing around, Artie gave a start. He was mostly alone, his stop one of the last on the transport route. The only person sitting near Artie was his Drule neighbor who lived down the hall. Artie looked at him in confusion. "Did you say something to me?" he asked.

"Don't sound so surprised," the Drule responded. "You have been trying to talk to me for weeks."

"And you never said anything back," Artie shot back. "That's why I am a little surprised that you are speaking to me now." Artie stared at the Drule matter-of-factly. He refused to be intimidated by the much taller, bulkier man, despite the fact that his kind had done nothing but terrorize his world for more than a generation.

The Drule regarded him silently for several minutes. "It seems we have more in common than just an address and an exile on this hell hole."

Artie narrowed his eyes. "How do you know I am exiled?"

The Drule smiled, sharp, pointed teeth peeking out from between his parted lips. "I didn't know for sure, but now I do," he laughed, a sinister sound. "You are not the typical lot who comes to work on Rydrax. You seem weak, privileged. I figured you are not here by choice."

Artie tried to gauge how much he should trust this man. Was he friend or foe? Deciding to tread lightly, he confirmed, "You are correct in that I was exiled."

"You're accent sounds...Arusian?" the Drule questioned. "Educated? Are you aristocrat?"

Who was this guy? He seemed to know a lot for a simple miner. It was time for Artie to start asking the questions. "Who are you?" he inquired.

"I am Rallock," the Drule answered. Offering a hand, he smiled sardonically when Artie just stared at him in response. "I am a Drule from Doom. I once worked as a bounty hunter under Prince Lotor."

"Once?" Artie asked. "What happened?"

Pulling back his hand, Rallock continued. "I was relieved of my duty when I failed to complete my mission."

"And what mission was that?"

"Kidnapping Princess Allura for Prince Lotor," Rallock replied.

Artie stared at Rallock in disbelief. This man, this Drule, was his enemy. He had tried to kidnap his monarch. Turning around to face forward, Artie intended to sever the conversation there. But the Drule had other ideas. "I know who you are, Arthur Leonardis. I know what the Princess and Commander Kogane have done to you."

"How...?"

"It doesn't matter how. It doesn't matter why. It only matters that I do," Rallock interrupted. "It seems we have a common enemy in Princess Allura and the Voltron Force. Because of them, I lost everything. Prince Lotor banished me to the Pit of Skulls. By sheer dumb luck, I escaped. With no money and no papers, I came here, where they would not question my lack of documentation. I owe Princess Allura, Kogane, and even Prince Lotor for what they have done to me, for what my life has become." His yellow eyes narrowed menacingly. "Perhaps we could be of assistance to each other."

Digesting Rallock's story, Artie considered this former bounty hunter. The things he said intrigued the former Arusian lord. Driven by his own rage and revenge, Artie thought about what the Drule had revealed to him. Perhaps he should at least listen to what Rallock had to say. Pushing his reservations aside, he said to the Drule, "Why don't we clean up and grab a drink and a bite to eat? It seems we have much to discuss. I am interested in what you have to say."

Rising from his seat as the transport came to their stop, Rallock smiled his sinister sneer. "Yes, we do," he agreed. "I will meet you in thirty minutes." Without a backwards glance, he exited the transport.

Smiling cunningly to himself, Artie felt lighter. Maybe coming to Rydrax wouldn't be such a bad thing after all. Exiting the transport himself, he headed to his own room to clean up and prepare for what he hoped would be a very lucrative dinner meeting.


	7. Chapter 7

I know the last chapter was super short, and I apologize for that. Hopefully, this will more than make up for that. This chapter is rated M for some KA love. Please review. I love the feedback!

To cubbie, the KA love is for you!

Revised 5/24/15

* * *

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

* * *

Chapter 6

Looking over his to do list, Koran smiled in genuine happiness as he prepared to call the province leaders and formally invite them to Keith and Allura's engagement party, being held in a fortnight. Relieved that the people's vote had gone the way they had hoped, Koran wanted his surrogate daughter to be able to enjoy her new role as bride. Assisting Nanny, the old advisor promised he would do anything he could to make the experience easy and fun for the soon-to-be queen.

Sitting at his desk in front of his computer, he dialed Lady Angsley. Not being able to help himself, he smiled fondly as he remembered the campaign the fiery petite woman created for Allura and her commander. She worked tirelessly to rally the people for their support both within the Eastern Lands and in the other provinces. Koran had no doubt that her efforts were why they were able to plan the engagement party in the first place.

After a moment, Lady Angsley's pretty face filled Koran's screen. "Koran!" She greeted him in genuine surprise and happiness. "How are you? To what do I owe the honor of this call?"

"Lady Angsley," he returned with a smile curving the lips under his bushy mustache. "I am fine, thank you. I am calling to invite you to Princess Allura and Commander Kogane's engagement party. It will be held in two weeks' time in the grand ballroom of the Castle of Lions."

Clapping her hands together like a little child, Crystali grinned in glee. "Of course, I shall be there," she replied. "I would not miss a chance to celebrate the love of our princess and her champion."

"Very good," Koran smiled at her enthusiastic response. "Shall I put you down for two?"

Waving her hand at him, Crystali shook her head. "No, just one," she corrected him. "I shall be attending alone." Suddenly, she stopped with a glint in her eye. "What about you, Koran? Do you have a date for the engagement party?"

Feeling heat rise up his neck to color his cheeks, Koran sat dumbfounded, completely taken aback by the lady's forward question. Clearing his throat, he shook his head as he tried to rein in his shock. "No, no," he replied gruffly. "I will be attending solo. I am standing in for Allura's father, so I will have many ceremonial things I need to do."

"That's a shame really," Crystali mused, allowing her eyes to linger on Koran's ruggedly handsome face. Her face broke into a radiant smile. "Or maybe it isn't! Would you care to be my escort, Sir Advisor? It would be such a shame to attend such a fancy, happy party alone." Before he could protest, she added, "I know you will have your official duties, but surely it would be fun to spend the down time together. Please be my escort."

Nodding absentmindedly, Koran accepted the petite widow's invitation before he really knew what he was doing.

"Wonderful!" she replied. "I look forward to spending the evening with you. I shall see you in a fortnight." With one more radiant smile, the lady said good-bye.

Koran sat still for several minutes, staring at the black screen. What just happened? Had he just been asked out on a date? Shaking his head to clear the astonishment away, he stared at Lady Angsley's number. He was tempted to call her back and decline her offer. Before he could, something stopped him. He liked Lady Angsley; she reminded him of him, a female version of someone not afraid to fight for the princess. Unable to help himself, he quirked a small, satisfied smile on his normally stoic face. _Yes, Koran, old boy,_ he thought to himself. _For the first time in thirty years, you have a date._

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Well, Nanny," Allura said. "What do you think?" Spinning on the podium in front of the three way mirror, the princess allowed Nanny to look at her from all sides.

With her hand on her chin, Nanny stood deep in thought. "I think I will have to tighten the shoulder a bit and maybe bring up the hem." Circling the princess, she examined the dress from all sides. "Other than that, my princess, I think you look beautiful."

A radiant smile blossomed across the princess's beautiful countenance as she turned back to glance in the mirror. Trying on her engagement dress for the first time, Allura never felt so beautiful. The dress, bright royal blue in color, was chosen to honor Blue Lion and to bring out the sapphire shades in Allura's eyes. Cut just above the knee, the dress featured a one-shouldered, asymmetrical neckline that showed off Allura's toned arms and shoulders. A large bow sat squarely on the shoulder, bringing attention to Allura's beautiful face. Ruching around the waist gathered the material tightly just under the breasts before the skirt flared out into an A-line skirt. An expanse of creamy, toned leg ended in sparkly silver sandals.

A sudden masculine clearing of a throar from behind Allura shook her from her self-perusal. Turning toward the door to her bedroom, she caught sight of her fiancé staring at her with a slack jawed look of lustful admiration. "Allura." Keith's husky voice came in a whisper. "You look beautiful."

Raising her azure eyes to meet his black gaze in the mirror, the princess was taken aback by the passion that smoldered there. Flashing a small, sultry smile, she replied, "Why thank you, Commander."

Catching Nanny's eye, the Voltron commander raised a black eyebrow. Allura was unsurprised when her old governess simply offered a small curtsey and then exited the room. Though he wasn't king yet, Koran, Nanny, and the rest of the castle staff honored and respected him as if he was already their monarch. A moment after the door to the princess's bed chamber swished closed, Keith crossed the room in three steps, gathering the princess into his strong arms.

He kissed her passionately, communicating with his mouth how much he truly appreciated her efforts. After several moments, the commander pulled away regretfully. "We better stop," he murmured, "or I am going to shred that dress to ribbons and take you right here."

"Well, I wouldn't want you to shred the dress," Allura giggled, pressed against his chest. "But I wouldn't mind you taking me right here." Arching a blond eyebrow, she looked at him through hooded lashes.

"Don't tempt me, Allura," Keith growled, taking a step back to put some space between him and his fiancée. "I actually came to talk to you about the security for the engagement party."

Rolling her eyes, Allura sighed when she realized that their passionate moment had passed. Keith was all business. Turning away, she faced the mirror again, smoothing the skirt down over her slender hips.

"Of course, Commander," she replied dryly. Catching sight of Keith's look of exasperation in the reflection of the mirror, she smiled at his annoyance.

"I am serious, Allura," Keith stated emphatically. "We are still on high alert. Lotor has been quiet, too quiet, since the battle with his fleet. We have seen no attack, no Robeasts. I worry that he is planning something for the night of the engagement party, and we need to be ready for it." Keith's voice oozed with authority and firmness; he wanted her to understand how serious he was taking the possibility that Lotor could attempt abduction on the night of the party.

Digesting what he was saying, Allura spun back around to face him. Reaching up, she grabbed the sides of his face between her two hands. "I know you are worried, Keith," she sighed. "But we can't stop living our lives because Lotor might attack. We have a right to celebrate our engagement, and I refuse to let Lotor ruin that." Her blue eyes begged for him to understand.

Sighing, Keith rubbed her shoulders. "I am not talking about canceling the party," he insisted. "I am talking about having flawless security in place to prevent infiltrators. For example, all guests will be required to submit to an eye scan. Only if they pass will they be permitted to enter the party."

"That seems a little much, Keith. Don't you think?" Allura protested. Imagining the members of Arus's nobility being subjected to invasive eye scans, the princess couldn't help but giggle.

He shook his head fiercely. "No, it isn't," he argued. "Also, the guests will be able to enter and exit from one access point, the patio right outside the Grand Ballroom. We don't want people wandering through the castle unaccompanied."

"But Keith, my subjects look forward to coming to the Castle of Lions. They enjoy exploring the public rooms and seeing our planet's treasures. You can't keep them from that." Allura stared at her fiancé in disbelief. Her subjects had always been treated as welcomed guests whenever they came to the Castle of Lions. They were always invited and encouraged to explore the public areas of the castle during official engagements.

"I can on that night, and I will." Keith put his foot down. Seeing a flush of fury begin to creep up Allura's neck, the commander tried to further explain. "Look Allura, once the party is over and the threat subsides, we can go back to normal around here. But as I said before, we are on high alert. We all expect Lotor to try something, and that night seems like the most likely time." Noticing that he seemed to be getting nowhere with her, he played his final card. "Don't be ok with the security protocols because I am your commanding officer, and it is my job to keep you safe." His voice dropped to a whisper as he snaked his arms around her slender shoulders. "Do it because I am your fiancé who loves you and who is scared as hell that something is going to happen to you."

All of the anger drained out of Allura as she listened to his pleading, heartfelt words. Looking up into his coal-black eyes, Allura could see that his fear was real. His instincts were usually on par; he felt like something was coming. He wanted everyone to be ready and prepared for whatever Lotor threw at them. The most important objective was to keep the princess safe. Keith would do anything to make that happen, even lay down his own life if he needed to. The princess of Arus would certainly not stand in his way to make sure that everything was ready and prepared for that night. Coming to a decision, she gave him a squeeze and took a step back.

"Ok, Keith," she relented. "You win. I will go along with anything you feel we need to do on the night of the engagement party. In fact…" She stopped and walked over to her dresser. Opening the top drawer, she pulled out a mini blaster. "I will even carry a concealed weapon for extra protection."

Cocking an eyebrow, Keith looked at her skeptically as he crossed his arms across his chest. "And where will you hide a blaster in that dress, Princess?" he asked with sarcasm in his voice.

Allura's eyes gleamed mischievously as she pulled out a thigh holster from the drawer. "Why Commander," she purred silkily. "Watch and learn." The princess walked over to her bed and lifted her leg. She pushed her foot through the thick black straps. Resting her foot on the bed, she very slowly began to inch the holster up her shapely calf.

Keith's mouth went dry as the princess pulled the black band past her knee, pushing the skirt of her dress up her thigh, leaving little to the imagination. Once she reached the apex of her thighs, she stopped and tightened the holster so it would stay put. Reaching for the mini blaster, she slid the gun into the holder. With a satisfied smile, she stood up straight and proud, a challenge burning in her darkening blue eyes. "See, Commander," she stated with a hint of seductive teasing in her voice. "I can carry a concealed weapon in this dress." She proudly displayed her shapely, holstered leg for her fiancé to peruse.

Keith said nothing. Subconsciously, he wiped his mouth and swallowed hard. Glancing at the door, he saw that Nanny had activated the locks when she left earlier. _Thank goodness for small favors,_ he thought to himself as he turned back to his fiancée.

Without a word, he stalked across the room and grabbed Allura in a passionate embrace. Kissing her hard, he pushed her forcefully onto her bed. Running his hands up her thighs, he quickly unfastened the holster and threw the blaster to the side. Reaching up again, he pulled her panties down her thighs, discarding them quickly to the floor. He then moved his hands to the button of his jeans. Fumbling with the button, he popped it open and pulled down his zipper. Reaching into his boxers, he freed himself from the confines of his underwear.

He pressed himself against her as he settled between her spread legs. "Please, Allura," he begged against her mouth, allowing himself to graze her entrance. "Let me have you." He kissed her again. "That was so hot; I just need you, right here, right now."

Overwhelmed by the passion and heat that Keith exhibited, the princess swam in a fog of sensations. Lust, desire, and a little bit of fear made her heart pound. She felt a rush of heat flow to her loins as her insides slickened in anticipatio. She needed him, too. All the talk of Lotor and the what ifs heightened that need. "Oh Gods, yes, Keith, please!"

Not able to wait any longer, Keith pounded into her, not bothering to wait to remove her dress or the rest of his clothes. He took her hard and fast. Grabbing her hands to hold them above her head, he let his lips explore every inch of her face and neck as his pelvis slammed against hers.

With the lack of foreplay, Allura felt every inch of her commander. As he moved in and out of her, a familiar pressure began to build in her abdomen. He was driving hard, he was driving fast, and she was enjoying every movement his hips made. She desperately needed release. Lifting her leg, she felt him slip in even further.

"Fuck me," he growled as he hit her to her very core. Every thrust brought him closer to the brink. "Allura, you feel amazing."

"Sssh!" Allura replied in a breathless gasp. "Don't talk; just move faster please."

He complied and continued to thrust harder and deeper. Like a flash, her climax came, her whole body shaking from the intensity of her orgasm. He thrust against her a few more times, a groan of pleasure and satisfaction indicating that he soon joined her in ecstasy. Exploding into her, he felt her climax for a second time. Resting his face in her golden hair, he fought to catch his breath and calm his racing heart.

It took the couple several minutes to come down from their sexual high. Propping himself up on his elbows, Keith looked down into the flushed face of his fiancée. "Are you ok?" he asked, concerned that maybe he had hurt her.

A lazy smile crossed her face. "I am more than ok," she replied. Opening her eyes slowly, she reached up to brush his sweat soaked hair out of his face. "That was hot," she murmured, lifting her head to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

Chuckling, Keith smiled down at her. "It's because you're hot. That display with the gun was….wow," he admitted. Looking down at her crumpled engagement dress, he scowled slightly. "It looks like I messed up your dress. I hope Nanny won't kill me."

Shaking her head, Allura gave a very un-princess like, "Nah!" When Keith threw a skeptical look, Allura explained, "I can hang it up when I take a shower, and it will be as good as new. The steam will release the wrinkles."

Keith gently pulled himself out of Allura and rolled over onto his side. He quickly tucked himself away into his boxers, but let his jeans hang open. Gathering Allura into his arms again, he breathed in the sweet pea scent of her hair mixed with the aroma of her perspiration. "God, I love you," he murmured, his lips grazing the pink shell of her earlobe.

"I love you, too," she replied, squeezing his strong bicep. Glancing at the clock, she gave a start. "Criminy!" she shouted. "I have to meet with Koran in thirty minutes. I have to go. I mean you have to go. I need to shower and get ready."

"Ok, ok," Keith said, rising from the bed as he finished securing his pants. "But let's meet after dinner to finish going over the rest of the security protocols for the night of the engagement party. I want the rest of the Voltron Force there as well." Glancing in to the mirror, he ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to tame his wild black mane.

"Sounds good," Allura called just before she headed into her attached bathroom. Over the rush of the water, she yelled, "I love you! See you later!"

"See ya later, Princess," Keith replied. With a swing in his step and a shit-eating grin on his face, the soon-to-be king unlocked the princess's door and sauntered down the hall towards his office. Smirking to himself, he relished in her scent that still clung to him. _It was good to almost be the king_, he thought to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

Here is the next chapter. This chapter is rated T. Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews and support.

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

Revised 5/24/15

* * *

Chapter 7

Lotor tossed and turned in his bed. Even the company of two of his Allura-lookalike concubines couldn't focus his energy or calm his thoughts enough to sleep. Giving up on getting any rest, the prince walked over to his side table and poured himself a glass of blood-red wine. Downing the drink in three gulps, he immediately felt a little better and poured some more.

With the wine goblet in hand, he walked out onto his adjoining balcony and gazed up at the expansive night sky. Out there, forty five degrees above the horizon, Arus glowed blue and bright. Gazing at the far off world, Lotor let his mind wander to the planet's breathtaking ruler. He wondered what Allura was doing at that exact moment. Realizing it was the middle of the night there as well, he cringed when he thought about the fact that the princess was most likely not alone.

_Kogane_, he growled under his breath. Of all of the suitors in the galaxy, of all of the eligible princes and nobles available to seek her hand, Allura had chosen Kogane, a Terran pilot who succeeded in defeating the prince of Doom time and time again. Cursing under his breath, Lotor chugged the rest of his wine. Letting the liquid burn as it slid down his throat, he thought about the conversation he had had with his father on his return from his last defeat on Arus.

When Lotor entered the throne room after receiving his summons, he found Zarkon sitting on his throne, a look of disgust on his wrinkly blue face. The ancient king stared at his son with a look of regret and disdain. "Congratulations, Lotor," the king bellowed. "You have now managed your fiftieth defeat on behalf of the Voltron Force."

Bowing before his father, Lotor gritted his teeth. "Father," he responded. "I did not go to Arus with the intention of attacking. I went with the intention of seeking Princess Allura's hand. I was not prepared with enough fighters and had no Robeast at my disposal."

The king interrupted what he considered his son's ramblings. "Excuses, excuses!" he yelled. "Lotor, this obsession with Princess Allura has got to stop. She is no longer pure. She is engaged to another. Short of kidnapping her, she will never be yours!"

"That is my plan, Father," Lotor yelled back. "I will kidnap her…"

"No, Lotor," Zarkon snapped. "You are done. You are to stand down. You will no longer lead my troops in pursuit of Princess Allura or Planet Arus. You are dismissed, my son."

Anger blazed in Lotor's yellow eyes as he stood on the balcony remembering his father's dismissive words. Throwing his wine goblet against the wall, the prince grasped the railing of the balcony, thinking about his next move. Maybe his father was right. Maybe it was time to move on from Allura and Arus. Maybe it was time to focus his efforts elsewhere. With a resigned sigh, Lotor returned to his room to direct his stewards to pack his personal effects and prepare his ship. It was time for him to take a little trip.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

On Planet Rydrax, Artie toasted Rallock. Over the past several weeks, the unlikely pair began spending a lot of time together. Often seen together in the evenings after their work shifts ended, the short Arusian and tall, bulky Drule could be found walking toward their favorite watering hole just down the street from their apartment building. No one bothered the pair, and they sat and plotted for hours, their desire and need for revenge driving their maniacal brains.

Their plan had been put into effect. Rallock contacted an old friend who still remained on Doom. It took some convincing, but the Drule miner managed to secure an older generation Drule fighter for their mission. Deciding to go with an older ship that had been decommissioned a decade before, they knew no one in the Doom high command would miss the old relic, yet it would allow them to do what they needed to do.

"The date of the engagement party is drawing near," Artie explained to Rallock. "My uncle confirmed to me today that the party would be held this coming Saturday night in the Grand Ballroom. Will we be ready to roll in three days?"

Rallock nodded. "We should be," he confirmed. "The ship is being retrofitted as we speak in the shipyard near the main Alliance base."

"How on Earth did you get the Alliance base to agree to fix up the old bucket of bolts? They will know it is a Doom fighter right away." Artie stared at the Drule in disbelief.

Rallock laughed his sinister guffaw. "Ye of little faith, Lord Arthur." Pulling a small disk from his pocket, he turned it on. The projector disk flickered to life, displaying a small hologram of their Doom fighter. He pushed a series of commands, and a new ship appeared floating above the projector. "Voila! Our ship."

Artie sat slack-jawed in awe. "How did you….?" His voice trailed off in his surprise.

"It's a holo-skin," Rallock explained. "It can be used to disguise the outside of any ship. Right now, the Alliance mechanics think they are retrofitting a special Polluxian fighter as a gift for Prince Bandor. In reality, they are fixing our ship. The skin will be active until I leave Rydraxian airspace and get close to Planet Arus."

"Don't you mean 'us?'" Artie interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean me," Rallock corrected him. When he caught sight of Artie's angry expression, the Drule slammed his hand on the table in annoyance. Artie sat back at the sudden show of aggression, and the patrons dining around them stopped to see what was going on. Rallock waited until the din of dinner conversation resumed before he bent toward Artie, a menacing expression on his face. "I run the mission alone!" he growled, his voice so deadly quiet, Artie shuddered at his intensity. "You are not allowed anywhere near Planet Arus. If word gets out that you have entered Arusian airspace or even that you left Rydrax at all, our mission could be jeopardized. I promised my contact on Doom that the extraction will be made by me and me alone. Remember, there is more than one purpose to this mission."

"Yes, I recall you mentioning that," Artie snapped back, "though you never mentioned what the secondary purpose was."

"Nor will I until the mission is complete and the target has been acquired. It is up to you to secure a safe house here on Rydrax. Have you done that yet?" Rallock questioned with skepticism evident in his voice.

Nodding his head, Artie replied, "Yes. I have. I have a room secured at a place no one will think to look."

"Is it safe?" Rallock asked, raising a white eyebrow.

"With the amount of money I paid, it better be," Artie answered. "It will be secure for several days while we wait for the Voltron Force to respond."

"Very good," Rallock sneered. A menacing smile appeared on the large Drule's face, his pointed teeth visible between his blue lips. Raising his mug of Rydraxian ale, he saluted his unlikely Arusian friend. "Well, Artie, it looks like our dreams for revenge are about to be realized."

Artie clinked his mug against Rallock's, a little bit less enthusiastically than his Drule counterpart. The former lord did not like being kept in the dark about the secondary purpose of the mission. He didn't completely trust Rallock, but he was in too deep to do anything about it now. If the primary purpose of the mission went through, then he will have achieved what he wanted: to bring Allura and her Terran lover down and to restore some pride to the Leonardis name. Anything beyond that would just be a bonus. With a grateful smile aimed at Rallock, Artie downed the rest of his beer. It was about time to get his revenge.


	9. Chapter 9

Hi! Happy Memorial Day, everyone. I hope this finds you enjoying a fun and restful weekend. I have been trying hard to get going on this story, but real life just seems to get in the way. Summer is coming and I should have more time to write. Hopefully, this story will start moving along more quickly.

Enjoy the next chapter!

Rated T

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

* * *

Chapter 8

The day of the engagement party dawned bright and warm. Without a cloud in the sky, the sun smiled on the Castle of Lions. It was as if nature was celebrating Keith and Allura's engagement along with the rest of Planet Arus.

The party was set to begin around seven in the evening, just as the sun would be setting in the western sky. Sunset was Allura's favorite time of day, and she wanted to celebrate with the colors of the sunset as a backdrop. Keith quickly agreed, and though he tried to keep the exact time and date of the party out of the media, the secret had long ago been revealed.

The Voltron Force enjoyed a quiet, early dinner in the rec room before they all separated to attend to their personal duties before the engagement party. Escorted by Nanny, Allura scurried off to her chambers to bathe and primp for the party. Hunk and Lance patrolled the Arusian countryside in Yellow and Red Lions to keep an eye on potential threats. Pidge manned Castle Control as Arus' defense satellites scanned the galaxy for incoming spaceships and communications. So far, everything seemed quiet.

An hour before the party was about to start, Keith walked around the Grand Ballroom one last time, checking security and giving last minute instructions to the castle guard. The security presence in the ballroom was extremely tight, and everyone was on the highest alert level. A guard was posted next to every window and every door. He looked with pride at the men and women he had trained, standing at attention at their posts. They were elite, and they were ready to protect their monarchs with their lives. Sighing, Keith realized he would have to learn to trust the guard implicitly. As king, he would be on the other side of the coin, no longer the protector, but the protected. A twinge of discomfort took hold in his stomach as he admitted to himself that he was not entirely comfortable with that idea.

Running a hand through his long, ebony hair, Keith felt that everything _seemed_ to be ready for the party. But there was a nagging feeling of doubt in the pit of his stomach. Looking around, he tried to put his finger on what was bothering him.

His team had followed through with his security plan down to the smallest detail. Invited guests had been issued a special invitation chip, cut to look like a key to one of Voltron's lions. Upon arrival at the Castle's front gates, guests would produce their chip, where it would be scanned by a special computer that Pidge designed. The chips were specially coded by the Green Lion pilot himself, and forgeries would be flagged immediately. Pidge and Hunk would be handling the guests' admittance at the front of the castle, flanked by the castle guard. Any potential infiltrators would immediately be turned away. A second attempt at getting into the party would result in an immediate arrest and detainment in the castle dungeon until questioning could be completed.

Once guests made it through the first level of security, they would be shuttled from the front entrance of the castle to the back entrance near the gardens by horse and carriage. That had been Allura's idea as a way to add elegance to the necessity of transporting the guests around the castle rather than through the building. Once they arrived at the ballroom door, guests would be expected to submit to an eye scan to confirm their identity. Any guest refusing would be immediately escorted back to the drawbridge where they would be sent on their way. Only confirmed eye scans guaranteed admittance. With his fiancee's safety on the line, the commander of the Voltron Force and head of castle security was not taking any chances.

Unable to spot anything that could explain his anxiety, Keith let out a long drawn out sigh. Confirming one final time that all personnel and security systems were in place, he finally left the ballroom. Glancing at the time on his communicator, he cursed quietly under his breath. He had thirty minutes to shower, dress in his formal uniform, and tame his wild hair. Tonight was not a night to keep the princess waiting. Picking up his pace, the commander jogged the rest of the way to his quarters, trying to ignore his intuition that something was going to happen.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Hidden behind one of Arus's twin moons, a decade-old Doom fighter sat in the shadows. Behind the controls, Rallock waited in anxious anticipation. Before him, the lavender orb that was Planet Arus floated in the sea of space, millions of stars twinkling like diamonds around it. The night had arrived. It would be a matter of hours before he set his plan in motion.

Rallock left Rydrax early that morning. With the Polluxian holo-skin disguising the Doom fighter, the Drule miner left Rydraxian air space without incident. Hoping to not raise suspicion, Rallock set a course for Pollux where he arrived midday to refuel. When his security codes checked out, no one on the planet's surface questioned the incoming spaceship and invited it to land. Once he had refueled, the bounty hunter left Pollux where he waited for his escort in a nearby asteroid belt.

Two hours later, the royal convoy of Planet Pollux glided through the asteroid belt. Accelerating out from behind his hiding place, Rallock positioned his craft behind the convoy. Changing the holo-skin to one of a Polluxian fighter, the Drule eased his ship amidst the royal entourage. The sharp eyes of the Polluxian commander noticed the small fighter join the group. Accepting a non-visual hail from the commander of the Polluxian command ship, Rallock sent his security codes and gave the commander the weak excuse that he had been sent ahead to scout the route ahead of the convoy. The commander accepted his excuse and foolishly welcomed him as an additional escort. Flying in formation, Rallock followed the convoy as it proceeded to Planet Arus.

He flew with the group for about two hours. Once within sight of Arus's moon, Rallock cloaked his ship and went off radar. Either the Polluxian crew didn't notice, or they didn't care. Shaking his head, the Drule thought about what idiots the Polluxians were. Unbeknownst to them, they had escorted the Arusian princess's kidnapper right to her doorstep.

Checking the time on his chronograph, Rallock realized it would be less than two hours now. He just had to wait for the final go ahead from his contact on Doom. Then he could roll his plan into action. Glancing down at his scarred hands, he fingered the nonthreatening little chip. This new magical technology would secure for him his bounty. All he now needed was someone to get it into the castle and into the hands of the princess. Smiling wickedly to himself, he knew just what he needed to do.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Three light years away in the Lomar system, Prince Lotor sat at the helm of his personal ship, _Scar Blazer_. On his way to Planet Rodrat, a pleasure planet that was part of Doom's vast empire, the Doomian prince was on the last leg of his tour of Doom's planets within the Denubian Galaxy. Having left Doom over two weeks ago, he occupied his time and his mind away from his father, Voltron, and Planet Arus. Most of all, he needed a way to get his mind away from Arus's beautiful monarch, Princess Allura.

Running a hand over his handsome face, Lotor scowled whenever his thoughts turned to his Allura. She was engaged. To Kogane. Despite trying to ignore the intel that kept coming in from Planet Arus, Lotor knew that the couple's engagement was being celebrated tonight on Planet Arus. He also knew that the Voltron commander had heightened security in anticipation that the Drule prince would strike. Lotor chuckled to himself. _What a fool_, he thought. _I would never make an attempt on such an obvious night. I would choose a time that would be much less conspicuous_. Glancing at his computer screen, he saw that he was just about to enter Rodrat's airspace. Smirking to himself, he continued his train of thought. _Or I would find someone to do the task for me. _Hailing the planet's surface, he quickly received landing coordinates for one of Rodrat's most exclusive brothels. Keying in the coordinates, he smiled as he knew he would be able to forget Allura for at least a little while. Despite the celebration happening on planet Arus, Allura's engagement would be short lived. He swore to himself that very soon, she would be his, whether she liked it or not.


	10. Chapter 10

I apologize for the delay in updating. I have no excuses other than life has been busy. Now that summer is here, I hope to have more time to write, read, and review.

This chapter is for Cilla8, who begged me in her last review to update soon. So here you go, my dear! I hope it was worth the wait.

Happy Father's Day to all our Keiths! My husband is the Keith to my Allura!

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

* * *

Chapter 9

Pacing nervously in the princess's sitting room, Keith waited anxiously for his fiancée to emerge from her bedroom. Arriving with just moments to spare, he was relieved that Allura wasn't ready yet. After his last check of the ballroom and security protocol, he ran to his quarters to get ready. After the fastest shower on record and a half-hearted attempt to tame his wild mane of black hair, he fretted that he would be late to escort the princess to the ballroom. That, and he just couldn't let go of the feeling of trepidation that gnawed at his gut. Pulling distractedly at the collar of his dress uniform as he tried to urge his discomfort away, he spun around when he heard Allura's bedroom door swish open.

All worry and nagging discomfort flew out the window. Keith's mouth went dry. He couldn't breathe; he couldn't speak. Standing in front of him was the most breathtaking woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Dressed in her one-shouldered, royal blue cocktail dress, Allura stood regally as she allowed her fiancé to take all of her in. Choosing to wear her hair down with the sides pulled back and fastened in a sapphire clip, Allura adorned her fancy dress with only three pieces of jewelry: her circlet, her tear-drop sapphire earrings, and the antique cushion-cut diamond engagement ring that Keith finally slipped on her finger just that afternoon. With crystal four-inch heeled sandals finishing her look, the princess never felt so beautiful or so sexy. She spun around slowly so that Keith could view her from every angle.

When she turned to face him again, she saw that his face held no emotion, but his eyes spoke volumes. The depths of his coal black eyes smoldered, communicating to her clearly the lust and desire that he was fighting to keep in check. Pleased with his strong reaction, Allura quirked a coy smile. "Do you like what you see, Commander?" she asked silkily, arching a blond eyebrow.

Unable to stop thinking about what had happened between them the last time the princess wore that dress, Keith closed his eyes and fought to slow his breathing and the pounding of his heart. Once he felt a little more centered, he opened his eyes and stared down at his fiancée. "You better stop the teasing if you hope to make an appearance at our engagement party." His dark eyes blazed in challenge.

Allura blinked innocently, her blue eyes shining brightly. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Keith. I just simply asked if you liked my outfit."

Growling in response, Keith grabbed Allura by both arms. He quickly pulled her flush against his hard, muscular body. Not giving her a moment to protest or react, Keith swiftly pressed his lips to hers. Feeling her melt against him, he deepened the kiss until he left her breathless. Releasing her suddenly, Keith took a step back. "I really think we better get down to the ballroom before I carry you back to that bedroom and spend the rest of the night having my way with you."

Feeling lightheaded from Keith's sudden passion, Allura grabbed her head as she fought to calm her breathing. "Yes, let's get to the ballroom. It would be better if I was not alone with you," she conceded. Looking her fiancée over from head to toe, she couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked in his dress uniform. Subconsciously biting her lip, she suddenly wished the party were already over. Turning away, she quickly walked toward the door to put more distance between her and Keith to maintain control over her baser instincts.

"Not so fast, Princess," Keith called just before she got to her chamber door.

Spinning back toward him, the princess rolled her eyes. Opening her mouth to deliver a snarky comment, she swallowed her retort when she found Keith holding a beautiful brooch out to her. The platinum pin gleamed in the shape of a lion's head, its eyes two large diamonds that seemed to glow with an internal light. "Keith?" the princess gasped. "Where did you get that? That was my father's!"

Keith nodded. Walking over to Allura, he handed her the priceless Arusian treasure. "I know," he replied. "Koran retrieved it from the royal tomb. He wanted you to wear it tonight."

With tears threatening to fall, Allura simply stared at the brooch in her hands. The last memory she had of her father was when he left to battle Zarkon at Zohar all those years ago. He had been wearing the brooch on his cloak as he hugged her for the last time. "But why, Keith? The brooch was buried with my father."

Noticing the sudden sadness that washed over her breathtaking features, Keith reached out to the princess. "Koran explained that the nobility and aristocracy of Arus will recognize the pin the moment they see it," he explained as he gazed at her. "When they see the brooch on you, it will signify to the people that your father approves of our engagement, that he acknowledges that you are ready to be married and become queen."

Walking over to a nearby mirror, Allura perused her reflection. Glancing down at where the fabric gathered just under her breasts, she affixed the pin in the middle of the ruching. The brooch looked like it was made for the dress. "How does that look?" she asked as she turned back around to gauge Keith's final reaction.

"Stunning," he mused. "You are absolutely stunning." Remembering the secondary purpose for the brooch suddenly, he morphed into commander mode. "Oh, and Pidge also added a homing device to the brooch. If something happens, anything happens, just press the button on the back of the pin. It will immediately start tracking you and send your whereabouts to Castle Control."

Shaking her head at how quickly Keith could go from loving fiancé to anal commander within the blink of an eye, Allura couldn't help but laugh. "Why of course it's a homing device as well," she repeated. Walking back toward the chamber door, she stopped and propped her leg up on the arm of the chair. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she shot Keith a seductive glance. "Oh, and don't worry, Commander; I'm armed." She proudly displayed the mini-blaster strapped to her leg before she lowered her skirt and stalked out the door on her towering heels.

Chuckling softly, Keith couldn't help but smile. Allura was never boring; she kept him on his toes. He knew their life together was going to be an adventure, an adventure that he was more than ready to start.

The nagging pull in his gut returned with a vengeance, and his smile dimmed as he followed his soon-to-be wife down to their engagement party. Not wanting Allura out of his sight for even a moment, he sped up to a jog to catch up with her. He wanted to enter the party with the princess on his arm, just where she was meant to be.


	11. Chapter 11

I didn't have a chance to email individual reviewers, so I thought I would take an opportunity and respond here.

amblewat - I always enjoy writing Keith's inner dialogue. He is such an introspective character and I love exploring how he deals with his feelings and situations.

cubbieBlueMako - I try to use canon whenever I can, and the reference to Zohar is an example. The brooch is totally my own invention and will be an important part of the story as it evolves.

Paulina Ann - I didn't think about brooch placement until you pointed it out. Maybe a better place would have been on the one shoulder side. Oh well. Keith can shoot dirty looks at any subject whose eyes linger too long at it.

KathDMD - You got caught up in one fell swoop. Thank you for the chapter by chapter reviews. I am going to address everything here. :) I usally write the love story part of things, but this story has really challenged me to develop not only my own characters as in Artie and Rallock, but also explore another side of Lotor. I never felt he was an idiot as DOTU made him out to be, but I also always felt that he had some heart and wasn't as inherently evil as Zarkon and Haggar. I hope you continue to enjoy the evolution and the bad guys part as the story evolves.

Cilla8 - You are so welcome! I don't mean to have such long periods between updates. It's just life sometimes gets in the way. My goal is to finish the story (it's still in progress) before the end of the summer and update more regularly once fall gets here. Here is another chapter to hold you over for a bit.

Smithy - Just wait...

Thank you so much for favorites and reviews. I love the comments. Please feel free to offer suggestions and constructive feedback as well. I do this purely for fun.

Have a happy 4th of July! Enjoy time with friends and family.

* * *

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

* * *

Chapter 10

Smiling grandly as he looked around the richly appointed ballroom, Koran felt the joy and anticipation of the guests as they anxiously awaited Keith and the princess to make their appearance. Glancing at his chronograph, he knew they would be arriving at any moment. Shifting his eyes to his escort, he couldn't help but notice how pretty Lady Crystali looked in her plum cocktail dress.

Arriving at the castle a half hour before, Crystali immediately sought out Koran after her eye scan and admittance to the ballroom. The couple struck up a lively conversation as they took in the decorations, food, music, and the other guests. Comparing the engagement party to the grand soirees held in Alfor's day, they reminisced about the simpler, more peaceful time.

"Could you imagine some of the old ladies' reactions to the eye scans?" Crystali laughed out loud. "They would have been shocked. Old Matron Leonardis would have fainted dead away!"

"And the fact that they were not allowed to walk through the castle?" Koran added with a chuckle. "Dame Dearling would have thrown a temper tantrum!"

Changing the subject as she was swept away by her memories, Crystali turned suddenly toward Koran, placing a soft palm on top of the hand that gripped his walking stick. "Do you remember when it was announced that Alfor would marry Annalise?" she asked quietly. "It was at the spring ball the year I turned 20. There were many a broken heart, both male and female, left among the Arusian aristocracy after that announcement was made."

Laughing wholeheartedly behind a closed hand, Koran nodded as the memory surfaced. "Yes, yes!" he concurred. "I remember Lady Charlotte bursting into tears, and Lady Noella begging Alfor to marry her. Lord James Dearling punched out the head of the castle guard because he was sure that Annalise would choose him. Who knew that Prince Alfor and his soon-to-be wife were so sought after that their betrothal would bring forth such fraught?" Catching a sudden change in Crystali's expression, Koran noticed the bright light in the lady's eyes dim slightly. "What is it, Crystali?"

Shaking her head to try and clear the sad fog that suddenly enveloped her, Crystali tried to reignite her smile. "Nothing," she replied. "Just such a shame that so many are not here to see this special occasion." Referring to the happy engagement of Princess Allura and Commander Kogane, she listed some of their Arusian friends lost to the Drule Wars. "Alfor, Annalise, Charlotte, Noella…" Her voice trailed off.

"Matthew," Koran continued for her, mentioning her lost husband.

A small, regretful smile flashed across her face before she raised her eyes to meet Koran's again. "Ruanna and Garrett," she added, saying the name of Koran's deceased wife and lost son.

Walking in a solemn silence for several moments, Koran and Crystali made their way across the ballroom. As they approached the bar set up along one side of the room, Koran reached out and plucked two glasses of champagne off the lacquered ebony surface. Handing a flute to Crystali, Koran stopped and turned toward the beautiful widow. The advisor gazed down at her for several moments, something shifting in his chest as his heart rate accelerated slightly. Seeing her flush at his perusal, he raised his champagne flute. "Here is to those we loved and lost. Here is to Keith and Allura. Here is to love and the promise of new beginnings." Clinking his glass to hers, he raised the flute to his lips and took a long, deep drink.

Koran's double meaning was not lost on Lady Crystali. Watching him with shimmering eyes, she offered a soft smile as she raised her glass to her lips. "Here, here," she replied as she took a dainty sip. _Maybe it's not too late for second chances_, she thought as she met Koran's eyes and glanced demurely away.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Gazing up at the magnificent sight of the Castle of Lions across the lake, Lord James Dearling sat quietly beside his wife Natasha and his daughter Liesel as their carriage made its way toward the engagement party. Annoyed at the security he and his family would have to pass through on arrival to the castle, Lord Dearling groaned as he shifted his eyes out to his right. Sitting up straight suddenly, the lord stared in bemusement at the meadow. Sitting in the middle of the field was a large Drule ship. The ship had not been there a moment ago; it seemed to materialize out of thin air.

"Natasha," Lord Dearling elbowed his wife. "Look," he growled, pointing at the spectacle before him.

Leaning over her husband, Natasha narrowed her eyes at the black ship in front of her. "What on earth…." Her voice trailed off. "Is that a Drule ship?"

"I think so," confirmed James. "Why would a Drule ship have landed on Planet Arus?

"Could they be invited to the engagement party?" piped up twelve-year-old Liesel, offering what sounded like a plausible explanation.

"I don't think so," James replied, his brows furrowing in concern. "I can't imagine that the princess would extend an invitation to our sworn enemies." Before he could say any more, the horses pulling the carriage reared up suddenly. Calling for his driver, Lord Dearling started when the carriage came to a sudden stop. Standing to see what was going on, the lord exited the carriage. Looking around, he gasped when he saw his driver lying terrified in the middle of the road, a large Drule standing over him with a laser sword in his hand.

Fear gripped Lord Dearling's stomach. Finding his voice, he called out to the Drule. "Who are you? What do you want?"

Rallock smiled at the trembling in the lord's voice. "Good evening, Lord, sir," he greeted the Arusian nobleman. "I take it that you are on your way to the engagement party at the Castle of Lions?"

Lord Dearling didn't respond; he didn't know what to say. He simply stood and stared at the Drule, fighting the urge to shake uncontrollably.

Growling in frustration at the lack of response, Rallock took a step forward. "Listen, Lord Dearling, your driver is captured and will be dead if you don't listen and comply. Soon you or your famiy will be, too, if you don't agree to assist me. I need your help with something, and I will not take no for an answer."

James opened his mouth to protest. Quicker than lightning, the Drule was suddenly right next to him, holding the laser sword to the lord's throat. An audible gasp could be heard from behind James from where his wife peered out the carriage window.

"No!" Natasha shouted. "Please, no! Don't hurt him. What do you want? We will do anything, just don't hurt my husband." The lady's words tumbled out in a rush. Terrified, she would do anything to keep her husband safe.

"Yes, my lady," Rallock replied. "Now you're understanding me. Come here, my lady, and let me explain what it is I need from you." Pressing the blade tighter against James's throat, he added, "Bring your daughter out here too."

Glancing back into the carriage, Natasha gulped. Hoping the Drule hadn't noticed the young girl, she wanted to divert his attention as far away from her daughter as she could. Seeing that there was no way to deny the Drule's request, she reached out her hand to Liesel and guided her out of the carriage.

"Good evening, sweeting," Rallock greeted the young girl. "I hope you are having a pleasant evening. I apologize for delaying your trip; I, however, need your parents help. Do you understand?"

Having never seen a Drule before, the girl stared at Rallock with eyes the size of saucers. Nodding imperceptibly, she gripped her mother's arm until her knuckles were white.

"Very good," Rallock replied. "Now here is what I need you to do. Young girl, I would like you to come and stand next to me. Once you are near me, I will release your father. Can we do that?"

Turning terrified eyes toward her mother, Liesel took a tentative step forward when she saw her mother nod.

"Keep coming," Rallock urged as the girl made her way slowly toward him. Once she was within a few feet, the Drule quickly pushed Lord Dearling toward his wife and then grabbed Liesel by her shoulders. Her mother screamed in terror as Rallock raised the sword to the girl's throat.

Lord Dearling finally found his voice. Standing up, he raised his arms to try and diffuse the tension of the situation. "What do you want? Please, we will do anything; just don't hurt our daughter."

A dazed look came over Rallock's face. Staring at Lord Dearling, he sobered his expression. "I have something that I need delivered to Princess Allura. There is no chance of me getting it to her myself, because of the exclusivity of the guest list, so I need someone to get it in there for me."

Realization hit Natasha. "And you want us to bring it in for you?"

Smiling menacingly, Rallock nodded his head. "That's right. I want you to present it to Princess Allura for me."

"On whose behalf?" questioned James.

"On behalf of an old friend," Rallock answered curtly. The bounty hunter tired of the many questions. He needed to make his threat and allow the lord and his wife to continue to the Castle of Lions as soon as possible, or he would miss his deadline with his contact on Doom.

"And if we refuse?" James challenged.

The Drule tightened his grip on Liesel. She screeched in terror as the sword was brought closer to her throat. "Then I kill your daughter," he replied snidely. Gazing at James evenly, Rallock waited calmly for him to decide.

James shook his head frantically. "No! No! Don't hurt her. Of course we will deliver your gift to the princess. Just please, don't hurt our little girl."

Rallock smiled as the lord relented. "Very good," he confirmed. "Now here is what is going to happen. I am going to hand you a computer chip. You will need to get it to the princess when she is alone. Do not tell her anything other than it is from a friend. If you try and warn her or summon the assistance of the Voltron Force, I will know and your daughter will be as good as dead. Do you understand?"

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Natasha nodded. Feeling her husband's arms come around her, she tried to hold back her wracking sobs.

"Once you hand the princess the chip, you need to convince her to press this button. Tell her it's a hologram message. Pressing the button will let me know that it was given to the princess." Reaching out his hand, he gave the Arusian lord a small, nondescript gray disk no bigger than a coin. The button he was talking about was slightly raised from the surface of the rest of the disk. "Then, and only then, will I deliver your daughter back into your arms. Until then, she will remain with me for assurance."

Gulping audibly, James nodded as he stared at the disk in his hand. Looking up into the yellow eyes of his daughter's captor, he asked quietly, "If we do this, do you promise that no harm will come to my daughter."

Rallock released his grip on Liesel and clasped his hands together. Bowing over his praying hands, he made a blood oath. "I promise on the blood of my father that flows through my veins."

Accepting Rallock's words, James sought the eyes of his wife. He tried to assure her with a poignant look that the Drule told the truth. Feeling her sag against him in acceptance, he snapped his eyes back to Rallock. "You have a deal. We will deliver your computer chip. But I have just one more question?"

Growling in exasperation, Rallock clenched his teeth. "And what is that?"

"Will you hurt the princess?"

Smirking slightly, Rallock shook his head. "No," he assured him confidently. "I don't believe there are any immediate plans to harm the princess."

"But you're not sure?" James questioned.

Grabbing Liesel again, Rallock squeezed her arm until she squealed. The sound of his daughter's anguish shut Lord Dearling up quickly. "Enough questions. It's time for you to go. Say your good-byes." He pushed Liesel at her father, but raised the sword threateningly.

His message was communicated loudly and clearly. Gathering his wife into his arms, he gently pulled her toward the carriage. "We will deliver the computer chip," James repeated to Rallock. "I hold you to your promise that I will see my daughter very soon."

Saying nothing, Rallock nodded in confirmation. He signaled to the driver to resume his perch on the driver's seat. Pulling Liesel toward the ship, he watched Lord Dearling and his wife enter the carriage and pull away. _Soon, _he thought. _Soon revenge will be mine._


	12. Chapter 12

Here is the next chapter. I am going to try and update more frequently, though I won't promise a consistent timeline. Here is some KA for those of you who may have missed them in the last chapter.

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Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

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Chapter 11

The princess of Arus waited anxiously at the top of the stairs behind the doors that marked the entrance into the Grand Ballroom. Fidgeting nervously on her four inch heels, she grasped more tightly to Keith's well-formed bicep as she waited for them to be announced and admitted into the engagement party. The dashing commander, dressed in the white jacket and black pants of a commanding Galaxy Garrison officer, turned toward her and smiled softly when he felt her nervous trembling. With his medals and commendations gleaming on his broad chest, Allura knew Keith would outshine all royalty and nobility attending the engagement party. She returned a a soft soft smile of her own at her handsome escort.

"Are you ready?" Keith asked as his dark eyes caressed her lovely face. With every hair in place, her makeup perfectly executed, and her royal blue dress hugging every curve of her body, the princess was the picture of regal beauty and exquisite grace. _How am I so lucky that she has chosen me? _Keith thought to himself as he squeezed the princess's delicate hand against his side.

Nodding tentatively, Allura answered him with a nervous sigh. "Yes, I'm ready. Are you?" Allowing her blue eyes to flit over his handsome face, she watched for any flinch or sign of discomfort.

Keith swallowed his nerves and held his confident expression. She knew him well so well; being the center of attention was not something he enjoyed. He accepted a long time ago that being the commander of the Voltron Force brought with it unwanted attention and notoriety. Becoming the reigning monarch's betrothed and eventually the king thrust him further into the spotlight than he ever imagined possible, and he would never be entirely comfortable with that fact.

Deciding he was ready to face the crowd that awaited the engaged couple, Keith took out his communicator and texted Koran to let the advisor know that they were ready to make their entrance. Holding his head high, he took a step toward the closed doors, leading the princess alongside him. Turning toward the stewards standing beside the ballroom doors, he nodded his head. The stewards acknowledged his directive with a slight bow and reached to open the doors.

The couple stood temporarily blinded as the doors swung open to reveal the bright lights of the ballroom below. Koran's eloquent voice broke through the cacophony of the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen," the advisor began. "Esteemed members of the Arusian nobility and people of planet Arus, it is with great joy that I welcome you here tonight. On behalf of our late king, Alfor, and his queen, I present her Royal Highness, Princess Allura and her fiancé, Commander Keith Kogane, leader of the Voltron Force. Please join me in celebrating their engagement!"

A hush fell across the ballroom for a heartbeat, then two. Keith gently pulled Allura through the doorway to pause at the top of the stairs. The moment the couple stepped through the door, all chaos broke loose. The crowd erupted into a fray of clapping, cheering, and whistling.

Allura stood dumbfounded as she and Keith were temporarily blinded by a wall of camera flashes. Shaking her head to center herself, she immediately planted a radiant smile on her face and raised her hand to greet her people and acknowledge their praise.

Following suit, Keith did the same. He waved and smiled at the crowd, appearing to everyone completely at ease in his role.

After staying at the top of the stairs for the necessary amount of time, the couple slowly began their descent down the stairs, smiling and waving the whole time. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, they greeted Koran where he stood.

The advisor bowed to the princess, which she returned with a graceful curtsey. Koran then turned to Keith, bowing to his future monarch. Bowing in return, Keith straightened and offered Koran a warm smile. He then broke a millennia of tradition and extended his hand. When the advisor reached out to accept the Terran gesture and shake the commander's hand heartily, the crowd erupted into more cheers.

Koran patted the commander on his back and dropped his hand. Turning back to Allura, Koran offered a proud smile that peeked out from underneath his elegant mustache. Throwing his normal stoicism aside, he took on the role of the proud father and opened his arms to the young woman he loved like a daughter.

Allura stared at him in bemusement for a moment before she launched herself into her surrogate father's arms. Embracing him tightly, the princess fought the tears that threatened to fall. Feeling Koran press a gentle kiss against her temple, she felt him return her hug fiercely.

"Congratulations, my darling princess," Koran whispered into her ear over the noise of the crowd. "I know that you and Keith will be very happy." Pulling away, he gave her arms one last gentle squeeze. Nodding to Keith, he spoke to both of them. "Now go and enjoy your party." Reaching for Allura's hand, he gently placed the princess's delicate hand into the larger hand of the commander.

"Thank you, Koran," Keith acknowledged. "We will." Turning around, he led the princess away to greet their guests.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Lady Crystali wiped the tears from her eyes as she watched the loving display unfold between Koran and the princess. Watching Keith lead the princess away, Crystali greeted Koran when he returned to her side. "That was really sweet," she stated, noticing the advisor's eyes shimmering uncharacteristically. "Alfor could not have done a better job."

Clearing his throat lightly, Koran furrowed his eyebrows in discomfort. "Thank you," he answered gruffly. Changing the subject, he allowed his brown eyes to take in the lovely features of his date. "It seems that my official duties are done for the moment." Offering his arm, he bowed to the lady. "Would you care to socialize? I just noticed that James and Natasha are here." He pointed over to the doors that opened toward the garden.

Crystali turned in the direction that Koran indicated. A look of concern crossed Crystali's features. "That's odd," she mused. "Where is Liesel? When I spoke to Natasha earlier this week, she couldn't stop talking about how excited the girl was to be attending her first official engagement at the Castle of Lions. I hope the poor child isn't sick."

"Well, let's go and greet them and find out." Koran suggested. He looked with unease at his old friend and fellow council member. Lord James's cheeks were flushed and his normally warm and friendly face was drawn into a tight grimace. His wife fared no better, her face streaked with what looked like dried tears. Perhaps their daughter was ill. As Koran and Crystali approached, the couple suddenly turned away and headed to the other side of the ballroom. Exchanging a look, Koran and Crystali followed the couple, hoping to corner them and find out what was going on.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Sitting in the cockpit of the Doom fighter, Rallock tried to ignore the sniffles of his young hostage. The girl sobbed uncontrollably for the first hour, and then her sobs finally quieted to the occasional whimper. Hoping her parents would hurry, the Drule glanced at his chronograph. The party was entering its second hour. Figuring his bounty would be arriving shortly, he stood to prepare the fighter's one small sleeping cell.

As he walked past Liesel, who was secured tightly to the passenger seat, he glanced down at his prisoner. The young girl recoiled in fear as a fresh set of tears flowed down her face. Grunting in disgust at the weak creature in front of him, he snapped, "Stop whining, brat. Your parents will be delivering my package soon. Once they do, I will return you to them, unharmed." Without a second glance, he stalked to the back of the fighter to await his royal guest.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N

Thank you for all reviews, follows, and favorites. I apologize for the delay in updating. This is a relatively short bridge chapter. I will try and update again soon! Have a great rest of your weekend!

D

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Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

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Chapter 12

Pacing in his studio apartment, Artie cursed under his breath impatiently. Rallock had left twelve hours earlier, leaving Rydrax's atmosphere in his disguised ship. The Drule assured the former Arusian lord that he would be contacted once they had the princess. Artie was to remain diligent, alert, and ready to receive his guest. So far, the former Arusian lord had heard nothing from his Drule co-conspirator.

Hating being kept in the dark, Artie decided to watch some television to try to occupy his mind and pass the time. Turning his viewer on, he flipped to the Galaxy Alliance News station. Staring at the screen, he started when he realized coverage of the Arusian engagement party was being broadcast on the intergalactic news.

The camera panned in to show a pretty news anchor standing with the gleaming Castle of Lions in the background. Reporting just as the party started, the anchor commented on the occasion and the exclusive guest list. The shot switched from the anchor to a closeup shot from inside the party: the princess and the commander walking down the stairs and into the grand ballroom, huge smiles painted onto their breathtaking faces as they were greeted by cheers and applause.

Rage filled Artie. All of his hate, all of his loathing, all of his vengeance exploded forth. Picking up his viewer, he hurled it across his room, smashing it against the far wall. The viewer exploded into a million pieces as soon as it hit, leaving a large dent in the drywall. Breathing heavily, Artie fought to control his fury. Soon, the princess would be his. Soon he would have his revenge on Kogane. Standing, he walked over to his small window to look down on the street below. Gripping his communicator in his hand, he awaited Rallock's call. _The Drule better call soon,_ he seethed as he gazed at the dark and deserted street to his waiting hover car below.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Lord James Dearling stood nervously on the side of the dance floor, his wife trembling imperceptibly by his side. The couple fought to appear normal, but terror gripped their insides. They feared for their daughter, they feared for their princess, and they feared for themselves. What would happen to them when it came to light that they were involved in the Drule's plan against their princess?

They discussed their plan the rest of the way to the castle. Watching the princess like a hawk, they waited to see her go off by herself. So far, she had not left her commander's side, and even now, she stood surrounded by her cousin, the Polluxian princess, and her Terran husband. The other members of the Voltron Force stood close by.

Turning away from the happy scene, James sighed in defeat. "This is never going to work. We have almost no chance of getting the princess alone," he whispered to his wife. "Maybe we should just report the situation. The Voltron Force can help get Liesel back."

"No!" His wife shrieked in terror. "We can't take that chance. Our daughter's life is in danger! We can't risk her safety." New tears threatened to fall as Natasha shook from her fear.

Gazing worriedly at his wife, James tried to reassure her. "Ok, ok. We will go through with the plan. We just have to pay attention and watch for our opportunity. Do you have the chip?"

Natasha nodded her confirmation.

"Good," he breathed. Pulling his wife's arm into the crook of his elbow, he led her to the bar and handed her a glass of champagne. "Now, drink this; it'll help calm you a bit." Reaching for a glass for himself, the lord gave a start when a voice boomed from behind him.

"James! Natasha! We have finally found you!" Koran greeted him, with Lady Crystali on his arm.

Turning toward the princess's advisor, James guided his wife around to face their old friends. Forcing a smile on his face, he responded, "Hello, Koran! Crystali! What a wonderful party!"

"Indeed!" Natasha agreed, a little less enthusiastically. "Everything is so elegant."

Crystali watched Natasha closely. Her friend was not herself at all. Normally gushing and smiling over events held at the castle, Natasha stood quiet and reserved. Exchanging a glance with Koran, Crystali decided to press a little. "Natasha," she began. "Where is Liesel? I thought she was attending the party." The other lady flinched noticeably at the mention of her daughter.

It was James who answered. "She is home with her nanny," he said quietly, his brow sweating as he tried to make his lie seem natural. "She came down with a stomach bug this afternoon, and was very upset when we told her she would have to stay home." Locking eyes with Koran, he grew in confidence as he got caught up in his story. "In fact, we can't stay very long. We promised we would make an appearance, grab her a piece of cake, and be home before she went to bed."

Chuckling slightly, Koran accepted his friend's explanation. Glancing at Crystali, he couldn't help but notice the look of concern on his date's face. Just as he was about to ask her about it, she caught his eye and shook her head slightly. Acknowledging her signal, he instead turned back to Lord and Lady Dearling. "Well, I hope you enjoy the party. Please give your daughter our regards and that we hope she feels better soon. Perhaps she can attend the princess's bridal tea."

"Yes, of course," James agreed distractedly. "Thank you." Offering a slight smile, he turned to guide his wife away. "Good night." Natasha offered a small smile as she was led away. Breathing out a huge sigh of relief once they were out of earshot, James flashed a small reassuring smile at his wife as they headed to the dessert table.

Koran watched the couple as they walked away. Glancing at Crystali, he saw that the look of concern had shifted to one of fear. "Something is amiss, Koran," she explained. "There is something they are not telling us."

"How can you be sure?" Koran asked.

"Woman's intuition," Crystali explained. "Just a hunch. I think we better speak to the commander."

Koran agreed as his eyes flitted across the room in search of Keith. Finding the commander laughing and looking relaxed across the room with his group of friends, he guided Crystali toward the happy scene. He didn't want to ruin the joy of the evening for Keith and Allura, but he couldn't ignore the worry Crystali clearly held in her heart. Glancing back at James and Natasha, he hoped Crystali's feeling was wrong.


	14. Chapter 14

Here is the next chapter. Please continue to review. I love the reactions and feedback.

D

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

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Chapter 13

Sipping her champagne, Allura let her azure eyes roam over the group that surrounded her. Smiling to herself fondly, she relished in the love and support of her friends and family. Having made the rounds to their guests, she and her fiancée had settled with their group of friends about a half an hour before. The group joked and laughed, feeling slightly buzzed from a bit of overindulgence in champagne. Allura giggled as the joking turned to her fiancé as the hapless victim.

"So Allura," Lance snorted as he tried to talk through his laughter. "Did I ever tell you about how miserable Keith was when it looked like you were going to choose Artie? I found our fearless commander almost crying in his office."

A menacing look crossed Keith's face as he glared at his second. "I was not crying," he snarled as he took another big gulp of champagne. "I just couldn't deny my feelings any more and I didn't know what to do about it."

Lance continued to guffaw as he told his story. "The best, Princess," he continued, "was when he admitted to me he kissed you." Noticing the princess flush, Lance turned his ribbing to her. Waggling his eyebrows at her, he snorted. "It must have been some kiss because here we are." He smiled in satisfaction as the beautiful Arusian monarch blushed prettily.

Stepping into save his fiancée from further embarrassment, Keith wrapped his arms around the princess's waist. He whispered into her hair, "That sure was some kiss!" Feeling her heat against him, he felt his body react. Shifting uncomfortably, he willed his body to calm down and turned back to his friend. To Lance and the rest of the group, he neither acknowledged nor denied Lance's comment. He simply said aloud, "It all worked out the way it was supposed to."

Sensing Keith wanted an end to the joking, Sven stepped in and raised his glass. "I think this calls for a toast." Raising his glass, he waited until Romelle, Hunk, Pidge and their dates secured champagne flutes. "To Keith and Allura! Congratulations on your engagement! May you live happily, laugh often, and love forever."

"Here, here!" the group chorused as they sipped their drinks.

But Lance was not that easily swayed; he wasn't done. Raising his glass again, he quipped loudly, "And here is to Artie! Without that douchebag, none of this would have happened!"

The group erupted into a fit of laughter as they toasted and drank to the disgraced lord. The princess turned in Keith's arms to face him, a radiant smile on her lovely face. As she turned around, her eyes widened in horror as she realized Lord Bruceroy Leonardis and his date stood just behind the commander. The smart-alek comment she was about to make died on the tip of her tongue as she took in the grimace on the lord's face. Allura could tell that Lord Bruceroy had heard the last toast and was not at all amused by the group's reaction.

Sobering quickly, Allura untangled herself from Keith's arms. Guiding Keith around so he faced Bruceroy, she gripped her fiancé's bicep more tightly. From the surprised look on Keith's face, the princess could tell that the commander had not expected to come face to face with the lord of the Southern province either. Planting a a smile on her face, she moved forward to greet the person who so vehemently opposed their engagement. "Lord Bruceroy," she started tentatively. "Thank you for coming…"

Without hesitation, the lord interrupted her. "I am not here to offer my congratulations," he replied angrily. "I am here to acknowledge that you have appeared to have won. You get to marry your commoner pilot." Shooting a look at Keith, he grunted in disgust as fury colored the commander's face.

Before the Voltron Force leader could interject, Bruceroy hurried on. "You have managed to break a thousand years of tradition." Pausing, he showed for the first time how the exile of his nephew had truly affected him. "You managed to get _the douchebag_ exiled and out of your way." Looking between Keith and Allura, he narrowed his eyes as he spotted the brooch sitting proudly on the princess's dress. "Just because you wear the Lion of Altea does not mean you have all of Arus's approval. Many will still oppose you, and your way will not be an easy one." Bowing slightly, he let his eyes bore into his monarch's sapphire gaze, his look hateful and menacing. "I hope you two get what you truly deserve." Without another word, the lord walked away, his date tottering behind in her high heels, glancing around embarrassed at the scene the lord had just made.

The group stood slack jawed at the display they had just witnessed. Snapping his eyes between Keith and Allura, Lance noticed the fury on Keith's face and the mortified expression etched on Allura's. He decided that he needed to be the one to break the tension. "Well," he said. "That was …interesting." Raising his glass again, he toasted more quietly. "Here is to douchebag's uncle, super douchebag!"

Breaking out of their shocked reverie, the group snickered quietly. Seeing that the commander and the princess needed a moment, the friends began to talk amongst themselves, turning away from Keith and Allura.

Keith held Allura as she trembled from her embarrassment and fury. With the smile gone from her face, her blue eyes followed Bruceroy as he stomped away. Just as Keith was about to summon the guards to escort the lord away, Bruceroy exited the ballroom without a backwards glance. It seemed he came to the party just to say his piece.

Glancing down at the top of the princess's blond head, Keith asked gently, "Are you alright?"

Frowning slightly, the princess straightened her shoulders. "Yes," she replied. "I am fine. I think I just need to get some air."

Nodding in agreement, the commander searched her breathtaking face. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Shaking her head, she refused his offer. "I am just going to run to the bathroom."

"How about if Romelle goes with you?" he suggested.

Shaking her head more emphatically, Allura refused again. "Really, Keith, I am fine. I just need a few minutes. Stay here. I'll be right back." Brushing a quick kiss onto his lips, she tried to communicate her strength and resolve through her touch.

Accepting her need for time, Keith finally relented. "Ok," he conceded. "But hurry. If you're not back in five minutes, I'm sending Romelle to come find you."

Offering a small smile, Allura saluted her fiancée. "Aye, Commander," she quipped as she turned on her heel and walked away.

Rolling his eyes, Keith suppressed a smile. He watched her head toward the ladies' room located on the east side of the ballroom. Seeing her enter, he turned just in time to see Koran and Crystali headed his way. His face fell as he took in the concerned expressions on both of their faces. _Oh no, _ he thought.

VVVVVVVVVVVVV

Across the room, James and Natasha watched as the princess left her fiancé and headed toward the restroom. Knowing this was their one and only chance, James nodded at his wife and patted her on the back.

Straightening her posture, Natasha gripped the computer chip between white knuckles. Reassuring herself that this was the only chance to save her daughter, the Arusian lady headed to intercept the princess.


	15. Chapter 15

I have been updating about once a month; that seems to be a timeline I can keep up with. I am so sorry to keep everyone waiting for the next chapter. School has started and life is busy. Thank you for continued reviews, faves and follows.

I want to dedicate this chapter to my wonderful parents. Today they celebrate 40 years of marriage, a true testament of love and commitment. Their story truly is a fairy tale come to life and my sister and I have had the great benefit of being a part of it.

Happy Labor Day in the states and happy Sunday everywhere else! Enjoy the new story.

Rated T

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Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

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Chapter 14

Lotor stretched luxuriously from between the black satin sheets. Having spent the night before with the most expensive and adventurous whore at the brothel, the Doomian Prince couldn't help but smile at how well he had slept and how rested he felt. His body ached slightly from overworking it. Smirking, he thought he would gladly accept aches like that after the night he had had.

Throwing his legs over the side of the bed, he rose and walked over to a small dining table set up in his exclusive suite. Laden with eggs, bacon, fruit and pastries, the table offered a buffet of choices for the hungry prince. Grabbing a plate, he began loading it with samples from each of the delicious dishes.

Sitting down, he started to dig into his breakfast when his comm unit announced an incoming call. The special ring indicated that it was his father. Groaning inwardly, he reached for it and schooled his features. Pressing the button, he greeted his father as the holo-screen flickered to life revealing King Zarkon's blue face. "Morning, Father," he said, an air of annoyance in his voice. "How are you?"

Ignoring the unnecessary pleasantries, the Drule King got straight to the point. "Where are you, Lotor? I need you home."

"I'm on Rodrat," Lotor answered. "Why do you need me home? You ordered me to stand down and gave my command to another."

"I am ordering you home," his father insisted. "Circumstances are about to change and I need you here."

Suddenly losing his appetite, Lotor pushed his plate away. "Fine," he conceded. "Let me ready myself and pay my bill. I can be in the air in an hour. I should be home on Doom by sunset."

"Make it quicker than that," the King corrected him. "I need you here as soon as possible."

Rage filled Lotor at being commanded by his father. Not having the energy to fight him, he simply answered, "Yes, Sire" before he ended the call.

Throwing his plate across the room, Lotor stalked to the mirror. Turning on the shower, he dropped his robe and prepared to bathe. Much to his chagrin and disappointment, it seemed his vacation was over and he was being summoned back to active service. For what purpose, he didn't know. He would have to wait to face his father before he would find out.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

After using the restroom and washing her hands, the princess of Arus stood before the gilded mirror in the ladies' restroom located just off the grand ballroom. After her run-in with Lord Bruceroy, Allura did everything in her power to hold in her tears. Not wanting to give the lord the satisfaction that he had affected her, she retreated to the restroom to calm herself. After a few minutes of deep breathing, she already felt better. Glancing at her comm unit, she saw she had already been gone five minutes. She had better get back to the ballroom before Keith made good on his promise and sent Romelle after her.

Turning toward the exit, the princess stood surprised when the door opened forcefully. Stepping back, she was relieved to see Lady Natasha Dearling enter the restroom. Lady Natasha was the wife of Lord James Dearling, a dear friend of her mother's, and a staunch supporter of Keith's bid as suitor. Flashing a smile at the noblewoman, Allura greeted her, "Hello, Lady Natasha. How are you? Are you enjoying the party?"

A haunted look crossed Natasha's face. She seemed a million miles away before her green eyes finally seemed to focus on the princess's face. Forcing a smile, Natasha replied, "Your highness! Hello! Why yes, James and I are having a wonderful time. Thank you!"

"Wonderful!" Allura responded, heading toward the door.

"Princess," Natasha called in a panic, watching as the princess was about to leave. "Wait, please."

Stopping suddenly, Allura turned to face the lady, a look of concern etched on her breathtaking face. "Yes?" She asked. Not wanting to be rude, she waited for Natasha to speak, but internally, she urged the woman to hurry so she could get back to Keith.

Natasha fingered the computer chip she held in her hand. Taking a deep breath, she prayed to the gods and asked Alfor for forgiveness for what she was about to do. With her daughter's face in her mind's eye, Natasha presented the chip to the princess. "I have something for you," she explained. "It's a gift."

Accepting the chip into her elegantly manicured hand, she turned the chip over in her hand. "Thank you," she acknowledged, "but what is it?"

"It's a holographic message," Natasha explained hurriedly. "To access it, all you do is press the button in the center." Gesturing to the raised button, she watched as the princess examined it more closely.

"Who sent it?" Allura asked cautiously. The chip seemed harmless enough, but she would feel better if she showed it to Keith first.

"My d…d…daughter," Natasha stammered, searching for a plausible explanation. Figuring the princess would see a gift from her daughter as harmless, the lady thought it a better explanation than simply saying it was from an old friend. Her voice grew in confidence as she continued, "She got sick this afternoon and was unable to make it to the party. She wanted to express her congratulations to you and the commander." Seeing the princess noticeably relax, she waited as her monarch fingered the small gray disk.

Overwhelmed with the sweet gesture, Allura smiled in gratitude at Natasha. "How sweet! Please tell your daughter thank you! The commander and I will watch it after the party."

"Won't you please watch it now?" Natasha begged. "My little Liesel will want to know your reaction. Please, for my daughter?"

Frowning slightly, the princess furrowed her brows at Natasha's insistence. Seeing how much it meant to the noblewoman, Allura shrugged her shoulders and finally agreed, relaxing her mouth into a smile. "Sure," she exclaimed. "Why not?"

Taking a step back, Natasha watched as the princess pushed the button on the computer chip. A bright light filled the bathroom as an energy field burst forth from the chip. The energy field appeared to envelop the princess. With a flashing pulse, the light surrounded the princess; a moment later, the bright light flashed again and the princess was gone

Blinking rapidly, Natasha began frantically searching the bathroom. The princess was nowhere to be found. All of a sudden, another burst of light exploded in the bathroom. Natasha threw herself into the closest stall. Another loud pop sounded. Peeking between the slats of the door, the Arusian lady watched in astonishment as her daughter appeared with the last flash of light. She lay in the middle of the floor of the restroom. Swallowing her sob, Natasha threw open the door and emerged from the stall. The relieved mother reached down and gathered her crying daughter into her arms. The girl appeared to be unharmed. Helping the young girl to her feet, she headed quickly toward the door. It was time to find James and get the hell out of the Castle of Lions.


	16. Chapter 16

Again, I apologize for the delay. Though the story is far from done, I do have several chapters done. I want to dedicate this chapter to Cilla8 who wrote me a PM gently asking when I would update again.

Cilla8, this one is for you!

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Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

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Chapter 15

Furrowing his brow, Keith watched as Koran and Crystali finally reached him. He could tell from the look on their faces that something was wrong. Craning his neck to glance at the door of the ladies' restroom, he realized with a slight panic that Allura had still not returned from the restroom. It had been more than five minutes. _She's probably just regaining her composure_, he thought. _I'm sure she's fine._ But that feeling in his gut was back. Something felt off.

Turning to Koran and Crystali, Keith forced himself to face them calmly. "Hi, Koran," he said. Turning to the noblewoman, he bowed. "Lady Crystali." Koran returned his bow, while Crystali curtseyed.

"Commander, may we speak to you privately?" the lady implored. "I have a concern to share."

"Can it wait a moment?" he asked. "I'm waiting for the princess. She should be back any moment…"

The commander's last sentence was broken off by a loud popping noise and a huge flash of light that came from the direction of the ladies' restroom. The commander didn't hesitate; he turned away from the couple in front of him and took off. Sprinting quickly toward the light, Keith had only one thought in his mind. _Allura. _Seeing Keith take off, Koran, Crystali, and the rest of the Voltron Force followed closely behind the commander.

Just as Keith reached the door, the portal opened. Emerging from the restroom were Lady Natasha and her daughter, Liesel.

Lady Crystali squeezed Koran's arm as she watched the scene before her in confusion. "I thought the girl was sick and was home with her nanny. What is she doing here?"

Before Koran had a chance to respond, Lord James Dearling pushed his way through the group that had suddenly formed around his wife and daughter. Gathering both mother and child into his arms, he held his family as they all wept in fear and relief. Looking up into the eyes of first Keith and then Koran, the lord muttered, "He would have killed her. He would have killed her if we didn't do as he requested. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" The lord's voice trailed off as he collapsed into tears.

Morphing into commander mode, Keith immediately began questioning James. "Who would have killed her?"

"The Drule would have killed my baby," Natasha cried in response.

Keith's blood suddenly ran cold. A Drule? Here? On Arus? Fear sliced down his spine as he felt his legs almost go out. Grabbing onto Lance who stood nearby, the commander exchanged a fearful look with Koran. All of a sudden, everything made sense. Turning to lady Natasha where she lay in her husband's arms, clutching her daughter to her chest, Keith bore his ebony eyes into her green ones, pleading for her to dispute his suspicions. "Lady Natasha," he demanded, ice in his voice. "Where is the princess?"

His eyes lost focus and terror filled his heart when he heard her confirm his greatest nightmare. "Gone,the princess is gone. She just disappeared."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Feeling like she had been hit over the head by a two by four, Allura slowly awakened. Glancing around at her surroundings, she knew immediately that she was not in the Castle of Lions. Sitting up slowly, she could make out that she was in some sort of sleeping or prison cell. With modest décor and just the basics, the room contained only a bunk bed and a desk. Off to her left, an open door led to a small bathroom. Surmising she was on some kind of ship based on the tightness of her quarters, Allura confirmed her suspicions when she felt the hum of the engines and the whir of the thrusters. Based on the fluid movement around her, she knew she was no longer on Arus. Unaware of how long she had been unconscious, she wondered how far she had been taken from her home world. Choking down her panic, she tried to recall her last memory.

She had been talking to Lady Natasha in the ladies' room. Natasha had handed her a small computer disk and begged her to play the message sent by her daughter. The princess remembered pressing the button, and then…nothing. She must have blacked out.

Allura reached out a hand to grab onto the edge of the nearby desk chair. Her whole body trembled as she experienced what felt like a jolt of electricity travel through her body. Dropping her hands as her body continued to twitch, she laid back down on the bed as she tried to calm the racing of her heart and the pounding in her head.

"Take it easy," came a deep voice to the princess's right. "Your body is still coming back together at the molecular level. You need to give it time to readjust."

Spinning toward the voice, the princess recoiled in terror as she took in the large Drule standing in the open doorway. Pushing herself up with her hands, she pressed herself against the back wall of the cell, as far away from her captor as she could get. Finally finding her voice, Allura demanded, "Who are you? Where am I? What do you want with me?"

Chuckling, the Drule shook his head. Pointy, fang-like teeth peeked out from between his blue lips. Leering yellow eyes stared at the princess, dropping suddenly from her face to travel down the rest of her body, still clad in her royal blue engagement dress, now torn along the hem. "Princess Allura, you are even more beautiful than I imagined." Her reaction of a snort only made him chuckle more. "Now, now," he scolded. "Be polite." Following his own advice, he introduced himself. "I am Rallock, former Doomian bounty hunter."

"Bounty hunter!" Allura exclaimed. "Doom!" She repeated. Terror filled her heart. _Lotor. _She thought. _He has me._

"I know what you are thinking, fair princess," Rallock interrupted her train of thought. "And no, I didn't capture you for Lotor."

"You didn't?" she replied weakly, her head spinning as she tried to make sense of what was happening. "Then who?"

"For many," Rallock responded menacingly. "I captured you to satisfy revenge for many." Smirking maniacally, he watched as the princess fell back down on the bed; she fainted, finally succumbing to the trauma her body had been through.

As the princess fell back into darkness, she felt the Drule's hands move along her body, first removing her earrings and brooch, and secondly her shoes. As he worked, he mumbled to himself. She swore that through the fog, she heard Rallock mumble something about contacting Lord Arthur.


	17. Chapter 17

Hello! It's time again for my monthly upload. I find it really hard to believe that another month has passed! Where is the time going?

It is the end of a long Thanksgiving weekend here. I have a lot to be thankful for: a wonderful husband, two amazing girls, a job I love, my parents near me and healthy. I am also extremely thankful to the girls in my KA fandom. You have become a whole other family for me.

I would like to dedicate this chapter to my KA girls: Cubbie, Ruth Ann, Paulette, Chelle, Theresa, Amy, Amber, Cheetoy, Heidi, Kath, Priscilla, and Linda. Thanks for for your unwavering support.

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Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

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Chapter 16

"What do you mean you don't know?" The commander of the Voltron Force snarled at Lord Dearling, who sat trembling in conference room B. His wife Natasha sat to his right, sobbing into her hands as the couple was questioned about their knowledge regarding the princess's disappearance. Young Liesel had been examined by Dr. Gorma. After receiving a clean bill of health, the young girl had been given a sedative and a room in MedBay to rest.

"Look," Lord Dearling explained. "All I know is that one moment, the meadow was empty. The next, a Drule ship sat there, plain as day. It was like it materialized from nowhere."

Glancing at Pidge, the Force's technology genius, Keith sought answers. If anyone would know how a ship appeared out of nowhere, he would.

Gulping when he saw the penetrating look on Keith's face, Pidge wracked his brain for a possible explanation. All of a sudden, a plausible synopsis came to him. "Stealth technology, perhaps," the Green Lion suggested. "Much more advanced than we have seen before."

"How did this ship make it past our satellites? Our sensors?" Keith barked. With all the security protocols in place, how did this Drule ship slip past their state of the art security system? Unbelieving, the commander looked to his team to answers.

"I don't know, Chief," Pidge admitted, defeated. "We missed it."

"We missed it," Keith snarled. "We missed it!" He laughed sardonically. "And because we missed it, the princess is gone. She has been kidnapped by some unknown Drule." Fighting to maintain his composure, the Voltron commander shook with worry. Even after questioning the Dearlings for over two hours, he was no closer to any answers than he had been when he started.

Suddenly, Hunk piped up. "Maybe the key to finding the princess isn't about how the Drule ship got here, but rather how they got the princess out of here." Crossing his arms across his barrel chest, Hunk leaned back in his chair.

Pointing at Hunk, Keith felt hopeful for the first time since Allura went missing. "That's a great idea, Hunk!" he exclaimed. Turning to Natasha, he asked, "Can you explain the chip again?"

"It was circular in shape, about two inches across. The disk was flat except for a raised button," Natasha explained for the third time. "When the princess pressed the button, a bright light surrounded her, and a second later she was gone."

"You said that Liesel returned in the same way. Did Liesel have a similar chip?" Hunk asked.

The poor lady nodded miserably. She reached into her evening bag and took out the chip that was identical to the one she gave Princess Allura. Placing the small disk on the conference table, she hiccuped before her tears finally subsided. Maybe if she and her husband could assist in getting the princess back, maybe they wouldn't spend the rest of their lives in prison on charges of treason.

Hunk picked up the disk and held it between two large fingers. Turning it in his hand, he tentatively pressed the button. A collective gasp went up around the room. When nothing happened, the whole group let out a huge sigh of relief. Suddenly the Yellow Lion pilot reached into his utility pocket and pulled out a small screw driver. Prying off the back of the chip, Hunk examined the inner workings of the chip once he was successful.

Not sure exactly what he was looking for, Hunk gave a start when he finally found it. "We may not know how this chip works," he explained. "But we know where it came from." Handing the chip to Keith, he sat back and let the commander examine the tiny pierce of unfamiliar technology.

Keith took the chip in his hand and brought it close to his face. Looking past the gears and switches, he saw what Hunk was referring to. Etched into the inner workings of the chip was a symbol that the five original Lion Pilots knew well. It was the symbol that was tattooed to their arms just before they landed on Arus. It was the skull symbol of Planet Doom.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Standing before his father's throne, Lotor paced impatiently as he waited for his father to make his appearance. Having arrived on Doom an hour before, the prince barely had time to eat and freshen up before he was summoned to an audience with his father. When he heard the trumpets blare, announcing his father's arrival, he dropped to one knee as King Zarkon entered the room.

"Lotor," his father bellowed, his loud voice filling the immense throne room. "Welcome home!"

"It's not like I had a choice, Father," Lotor retorted. "I was ordered."

"Yes, well, that doesn't matter, my son," Zarkon explained, ignoring his son's rudeness. "I am ready to reinstate you as commander of my forces."

Quirking a white eyebrow, Lotor huffed. "Why, Father? Two weeks ago, you made it very clear that you had no faith in me."

"Two weeks ago, you were distracted. Eliminate the distraction, you become the commander I always knew you could be."

Nothing his father was saying made any sense. The only thing Lotor could ever define as his distraction would be…._Allura. _The prince stared at his father slack jawed. "What are you saying? Father! What have you done with her?"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic, my son," Zarkon exclaimed, exasperated. "No one has died, if that's what you're worried about. Just know that the source of your infatuation will no longer trouble you. Princess Allura is no longer available; she will no longer be dangled in front of your face like meat for a hungry dog."

Rage and dread filled Lotor's heart at the same time. Reacting would not be an effective way to get information out of his father. Calming his racing heart, he maintained a dispassionate expression on his handsome face. "Father," he began slowly. "I don't understand what you are saying."

Laughing loudly, the great Drule King looked with disdain at his only son. Born with all of the evil potential in the world, Lotor unfortunately demonstrated he had a heart after he got his first look at the fair-haired Arusian Princess. Though he swore to defeat Planet Arus, destroy Voltron, and extend Doomian rule and influence across the galaxy, his love of Allura always got in the way of him doing what needed to be done. Months ago, Zarkon decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. He just had to wait for the right circumstances to present itself. That opportunity happened just a few weeks ago.

"Don't worry your pretty head about Princess Allura; she's fine for the moment. And she will stay that way as long as you agree to take back over command of my forces. It is time for you to become the leader you were meant to be." Zarkon stood abruptly and turned toward his chamber door that stood right behind his thrown. With a dismissive wave, the king left the throne room, leaving his son seething and befuddled.

Watching his father go, Lotor processed what Zarkon had just revealed. _Eliminate the distraction. Allura had not been harmed._ Gulping, he realized he had to play along with his father if he wanted to keep his beloved safe. _Time to do some digging of my own. _Turning on his heel, the Prince of Doom stalked from the throne room, determined to clarify his father's vague statements.


	18. Chapter 18

Happy New Year to everyone! Wishing you blessings in 2016 and to continuing our love of Voltron and the Keith and Allura love story. Here is the next chapter of Free Fall. Thank you for continued reviews and follows.

Rated T

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

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Chapter 17

Feeling like she was floating, Princess Allura fought to open her eyes. A gentle rocking motion jostled her as she regained consciousness. As she emerged from the darkness of her slumber, she felt safe and secure. Feeling strong arms wrapped around her, she snuggled deeper against a powerful chest, pressing her nose against the scratchy fabric of a military uniform.

As she inhaled, she expected to smell the comforting and familiar scent of her fiancé. A combination of a clean soap smell and a mechanical, magical scent that was undeniably Black Lion usually clung to Keith. Breathing deeply, the princess instead found her nostrils filled with an unpleasant and unfamiliar odor. Realizing that the person holding her was not Keith, she lurched back suddenly as her azure eyes snapped open.

Glancing up, Allura found yellow eyes staring down at her. Immediately awake, the princess began squirming and twisting, desperately trying to get away from her captor. She quickly found that her attempts were futile. The Drule had her locked in place within his strong arms.

Rallock chuckled deeply in his chest as he watched the petite princess try and dislodge herself from his grip. Allowing her to finish her attempt, he watched as she quickly realized she would not be able to escape. As she settled back against him rigidly, he finally spoke. "I suggest you take it easy, Princess. You are still recovering from your extrication from the Castle of Lions."

Sitting silently in defeat, Allura tried to get a sense of her surroundings as the Drule carried her along a long, narrow corridor. From her vantage point, there was nothing to see. She could either watch the ground as the Drule moved in long, stealth like steps, or she could stare up at the gray ceiling where dim industrial lights hung every ten yards. Feeling her feet tingle from lack of motion, she decided she would try and reason with the Drule.

Glancing up at him, she noted the stoic, yet menacing expression on his face. Gulping, she began quietly, "My feet are falling asleep. Would you please put me down so I can walk?"

Rallock narrowed his eyes. Considering her request, he issued a stern warning. "I will let you down, Princess, but only if you promise not to attempt to run. You are weak and you have no idea where you are. You would be in more danger out there, alone, then you are with me." Cocking an eyebrow, he awaited her response.

Afraid of the unknown, the princess nodded her head in agreement. She felt him slow and the finally come to a stop. He leaned over, lightly placing her on her feet. Relief spread through Allura as she felt solid ground beneath her feet. That feeling of relief was quickly replaced with one of panic as she felt her legs go out beneath her and her stomach lurch. She clutched at the empty space at her chest where her brooch should be as she fought the wave of vertigo that suddenly came over her. Feeling the Drule grab her waist, she leaned heavily against him as she tried to find her balance.

Desperate to put some space between herself and the Drule, she reached for the wall and attempted to push him away. Rallock helped her prop herself up before he finally released her. "What's wrong with me?" she asked. "Why am I so weak?" Realizing her brooch was gone, she looked up into his menacing yellow eyes. "Where is my brooch?"

Standing with his arms crossed, Rallock chuckled as he waited impatiently for her to steady herself. "So many questions, little princess," he mused. When her expression hardened in disdain, he shook his head and decided to answer her questions. "Your brooch has been removed for safe keeping," he explained. "Your body is still reorganizing itself at the molecular level. It will take several hours for you to return to normal. That is why you are weak and dizzy."

"At the molecular level? How is that possible?" She found herself cut off when the Drule snapped at her in his impatience.

"Never mind," Rallock growled. "Come, Princess, we must go. Either you must find the strength to walk or I must carry you. Our transport is waiting." Reaching for her again, he was surprised when she waved him off.

Feeling steadier, Allura took a step. When she didn't fall, she took another step. Finding herself on less trembling legs, she realized she could move under her own direction. Nodding at her captor that she was all right, she watched as he nodded, turned, and continued down the hallway.

Seeing he was distracted at the moment, the Arusian princess took advantage of the opportunity to take in her surroundings. They were in a nondescript corridor. Everything was stainless steel. The smell of oil and machinery hung in the air. The details clued her in to the fact that they were probably in a hangar bay or some industrial area. Allura tucked that knowledge into her head, figuring it was something maybe she could use later. _I need to get my brooch back, _she thought. _Then Castle Control can track my coordinates. _Plotting as she walked, she thought about how she could convince the Drule to return the priceless Arusian treasure to her.

Her thoughts suddenly turned to her priceless engagement ring. Glancing down at her left hand, she gave a relieved start when she realized that her diamond engagement ring still sat proudly on her finger. Spinning the diamond around so that only the plain platinum band shown, she clenched her fist around her precious gift from Keith. The Drule would have to kill her before she let him take the token of love presented to her by her betrothed. Right now, she felt like it was the only connection she still had to her commander.

They continued down the hall for several more minutes before they came to a large metal door. High up on the door was a small window. Moving toward it, the Drule stood and looked out and into the darkness. The princess noticed that the Drule was tall enough to see out of it with no effort at all. Figuring he was probably taller than Keith at 6'3, she felt her heart drop as her thoughts once again turned to her fiancé. He was probably sick with worry. As tears threatened to fall, she recoiled when Rallock suddenly turned to her and moved toward her.

"Let's go," he snarled. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her toward the door. When she resisted, he squeezed her arm and she gave a little yelp. "Shut up!" he ordered. "It's time to go."

Knowing crossing him could be dangerous, she followed him without further hesitation. Her arm throbbed from where he squeezed. Walking weakly behind him, she padded on bare feet as he led her out the door and into the street. Trying to get a look around, she saw only black, gray, and a deserted street. Not a soul was around. Screaming for help would be futile.

Rallock stalked quickly across the street and led the princess to a dark hover car. Pulling the door open, he pushed the princess into the back seat before he shut the door forcefully. Climbing into the front passenger seat, he turned to the driver. "We made it," he said simply as he belted himself in.

The driver started the hover car and put the transport in gear. "Welcome back," he replied simply as he pulled the vehicle into the street.

Allura felt her blood turn to ice. Recognizing his voice, she eyed the driver. Seeing him only in profile, she noted that this man was considerably thinner and a full beard covered his face. Maybe she was mistaken. But when he turned to look at her over his shoulder, there was no denying who he was. The dangerous and vengeful gleam in his eye gave him away. "Hello, Princess," Lord Arthur greeted her silkily. "Welcome to your own personal hell!" Laughing coldly, he turned back to concentrate on driving.

That was the last thing Allura remembered before she blacked out again, more from shock than exhaustion this time.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Back on Arus, the entire Castle of Lions was awake despite the fact that it was the middle of the night. Following Hunk's discovery of the Doom symbol within the computer disk, the Voltron Force had been holed up in the conference room adjacent to the control room discussing the events of the night and the intelligence they had uncovered.

After discovering the Doom symbol, Keith handed the chip over to Pidge and some of the castle engineers and ordered them to find out how it worked. Though the chip failed to reactivate, through testing and dissection, Pidge was able to deduce that it was a new technology, some sort of transportation device. Pressing the button magically transported the princess from the Castle of Lions to some unknown destination, while Liesel'a chip transported her back to the castle. The other engineers were trying to determine if the chips were connected and if they could use Liesel'a chip to track the princess.

Initially, Keith, in his role as the missing princess's fiancé, flew into a rage when they suspected that Lotor was behind her disappearance. Cursing uncharacteristically, Keith lunged at Lord Dearling and screamed in his face. "Do you have any idea what you have done? You gave her to Lotor! You gave her to Lotor!" It took both Lance and Sven to pry Keith off the terrified lord and drag him from the room.

After Sven escorted Keith to his quarters for a mandated cool down, Koran, Sven, and Lance conferred about how to proceed. They discussed the chip, the information from Lord Dearling, and the fact that they knew a Drule had taken young Liesel hostage. Everything seemed to confirm the accusations Keith had spouted: Lotor had to be involved.

"What do we do? Do we jump in the Lions and storm Doom?" Sven questioned in his thickly accented voice. "We don't even know if the princess is there, and we risk starting an all-out war."

"We can't 'storm Doom,' as you say. Voltron is a defender; he is not to be used offensively," Koran protested.

"We don't even know for sure if Lotor has her," Lance reminded them. "You know he would be calling to brag about it if he did."

"What other explanation could there be?" Sven said. "All evidence points to Lotor and Doom."

"Do nothing," a commanding voice called from the doorway of the conference room.

All three men glanced up in bewilderment to see a calm and freshly showered Keith walk regally into the room. Gone was his dress uniform, replaced with his standard red casual military outfit. The rage and worry from earlier were gone, replaced by patience and determination etched onto his handsome face. All conversation ceased as the group naturally allowed the commander to take charge.

Lance allowed his eyes to rove over his oldest and closest friend. Less than an hour ago, the Red Lion pilot held doubt in his heart about whether the commander would be able to lead this mission revolving around his missing fiancée. The Keith that stood in front of him dissolved his doubt away. Commander Kogane stood before them in full on military mode, all emotion and feeling tucked deep down into the confines of his heart. Lance often mused about how his best friend had the ability to do that. Seeing Commander Keith standing there, Lance let out a sigh of relief.

**"**Do nothing," Keith repeated as he walked to stand next to Koran. "We don't have any confirmation one way or another about who exactly is behind the princess's disappearance. We can't fly into action based on emotions and suspicions. The results could be disastrous. We need to wait."

"Wait for what, Commander?" Koran implored. "Her majesty is missing and we know Doom is involved. Shouldn't we be planning a rescue mission?"

"How can we plan a rescue mission when we don't know for sure where she is? As Sven pointed out, she could be anywhere. Sending Voltron to Doom without confirmed information could start an intergalactic incident. I don't want that, and I know Allura wouldn't either." The commander paused and turned to look at the computer monitor scanning Arusian air space. "Have we figured out how the ship got past our sensors?"

Hanging his head in shame, Sven watched Keith with worried eyes. Just after the princess disappeared, the former Blue Lion pilot and current commander of the Polluxian forces met with his officers to see if there was anything they had missed. It was only then than he had been informed of the mysterious appearance and disappearance of the single Polluxian fighter. He didn't know how his friend would react when he revealed what the Polluxian convoy had discovered. Not that it mattered; the information might be crucial to tracking the princess. Sven cleared his throat nervously. "About halfway into our trip across the solar system, a solo Polluxian fighter joined our grouping. When the captain contacted the fighter, all safety codes checked out, though a visual interaction never happened. The pilot stated that he had been sent ahead to scout the route ahead of the royal cruiser."

"That sounds like normal protocol," Lance interrupted. "What's so weird about that?"

"The ship disappeared just as we entered Arusian airspace," Sven admitted.

"Disappeared?" Koran repeated. "What do you mean it disappeared?" The advisor stared at the Polluxian royal consort with bemusement.

"Just that," Sven explained. "It just disappeared, like one minute it was there and one minute it was gone." Glancing nervously at his friend, he couldn't help but notice how dangerously quiet Keith had become.

The conversation and tension were temporarily distracted as Hunk and Pidge entered the conference room. Pidge held the chip in his hands, a triumphant look on his face. The Green Lion pilot had important news to share, but he knew he would have to wait. Something important was going down, and he and Hunk had just walked right into the middle of it.

Regaining his train of thought, Sven continued his explanation. "It disappeared from radar."

Speaking for the first time during the whole exchange, Keith turned and eyed his long-time friend. "Why was this not brought to my attention before?"

Struggling to stand his ground and not recoil from his friend's intense gaze, Sven met Keith's accusatory stare evenly. "Because we did not think it was important or relevant. When the ship disappeared, we figured it had achieved its mission in accompanying us to Arus and headed back to Pollux."

"Without a word, or permission to leave?" Keith questioned. Crossing his arms across his chest, the commander stood as still as a statue, his irritation evident in his stance.

Fighting to control his mounting anger against Keith's unspoken accusations, Sven looked pointedly at his friend. As one of the leaders of the Polluxian military, he didn't like what Keith's line of questioning alluded to. He and his people had not dropped the ball. "As I said, the ship simply disappeared from our radar. When we realized it was gone, it was too late to track it. We assumed it returned to Pollux. We had arrived on Arus and prepared to disembark for _your _party."

Ignoring the heat behind his friend's words, Keith spouted in exasperation. "The only logical explanation seems to be that this mystery ship somehow disguised itself as a Polluxian fighter and escorted himself right onto Arus undetected. How is that possible?"

Pidge saw his opportunity to offer the information he had gained over the last hour. "A holo-skin."

"A holo-what?" Lance repeated.

"A holo-skin," Hunk answered for Pidge. "It's a new technology developed by Garrison. It's like a projection that can be activated around the outside of a ship. A ship can appear to look like any other. We could use one to make a Lion appear to be a Doom cruiser."

"Or in this case," Keith mused. "A Doom ship used it to look like a Polluxian fighter. And that ship also had advanced stealth capabilities. Where is Doom getting all this advanced technology?"

"They are stealing it," Sven answered. "Doom intercepted a Garrison transport ship about a month ago just outside Polluxian air space. No one was hurt, but the Doom troops stripped the ship of all weapons and technology. Holo-skin and stealth technology blueprints were among the items taken."

Sitting down hard on a chair, Keith tried to digest all the information swimming in his head. It appeared that the plan to kidnap the princess was well-thought out and flawlessly executed. The kidnappers certainly used stolen technology to their advantage, and at the moment, the Voltron Force was having a hell of a time countering any of it. Deciding it was time to switch the focus, he looked over at Pidge to see the younger pilot fingering the chip. "Have we figured out how the chip works?"

Rising from his chair proudly, Pidge walked over to the touchscreen monitor and cued up his presentation. Pressing play, he cleared his throat and began lecturing. "This is a transporter chip," he explained. "Basically, using a combination of magic and science, it breaks your body down to its molecular level and allows you to travel through space and time from one location and appear at another location almost instantaneously."

Keith gave a start. Allura had been broken down to the molecular level. How the hell did they know if she even survived the jump? Swallowing hard, he asked the question that everyone in the room wondered. "Do we know that the transport was successful?"

Shaking his head slightly, Pidge looked at his commander sadly. "We don't know for sure," he explained. "But Liesel transported successfully, so we can assume the princess did too."

"Can we track where she was sent, or from where Liesel came? Have we heard anything from her lion brooch homing device?" the commander questioned.

"The only location we were able to confirm was the meadow where Lord Dearling saw the Drule ship. We think Allura was transported there and then taken off planet. We are still working on tracking the ship." Pidge paused for a moment and glanced at the rest of the team before turning back to Keith. "I have been scanning for Allura's homing signal since she went missing. So far…nothing."

Sighing deeply, Keith ran his hand through his hair. It seemed that they were at a standstill until they found out for sure who had taken Allura and what they wanted from them to get her back. Maybe her brooch had been taken from her and she was unable to access it. Swallowing down his trepidation, he came to a decision. Speaking directly to the whole group, he said, "I think we should all get some sleep. Until we hear from Doom or discover new Intel, we can't act rashly. I need you all rested and ready to go. Now let's hit the hay," he ordered. Watching his team move toward the door, he ignored their looks of pity and tried to maintain his brave façade. The room emptied quickly, the group anxious to leave the intense presence of the commander and get to their beds before he changed his mind.

Hearing the door swish closed, Keith sat down heavily in a nearby chair. Feeling a lingering presence, he knew he wasn't alone. Glancing up, he saw Sven watching him. Allowing his anger to slip away, he sought out Sven's dark blue eyes and offered a small smile. Communicating a silent apology, he saw his friend nod his head in acceptance that the commander didn't blame the former Blue Lion pilot for what had happened.

Sven walked over to Keith and placed a comforting hand on his back. "We will get her back," he assured his friend. "We always do."

"I hope so," Keith agreed, knowing what Sven said was true. But a seed of doubt took hold in the soon-to-be king's stomach. "This just feels different, Sven. This doesn't feel like Lotor, and that terrifies me. At least with Lotor, we know what to expect. Lotor would never hurt her." Looking up into his friend's eyes, Keith dropped his mask and let all his terror and worry fill his eyes. "I have a feeling this is someone much more dangerous. If anything happens to her, I am just not sure how I am going to handle that." With a shudder, Keith dropped his face into his hands and finally broke down, all his fear, worry, and anguish coming forth with his tears.

Sven said nothing and reached out to hold Keith, offering a supportive arm for his friend as he cried.


	19. Chapter 19

Happy almost February! Thanks for continued reviews and follows. It seems crazy I started posting this almost a year ago. Thanks for sticking with me, despite the slow postings.

Rated T

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

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Chapter 18

"What do you mean the ship is gone?" the prince of Doom questioned. "How can the ship be gone?"

The young Drule guard cowered in front of Lotor. Pointing to the place on the manifest where the ship was listed, the young Drule shook his head. "According to this log, the ship should be right here. But it's not. I know for a fact that there hasn't been anything docked here for the last few weeks."

"Where the hell is the fighter?" Lotor muttered under his breath. Rubbing his hand across his chin, he stood perplexed. How could a ten year old, decommissioned ship simply go missing? Nothing was adding up.

Ever since he returned from Rodrat, and since he had that strange conversation with his father, Lotor had taken it upon himself to do some impromptu investigation. Not knowing what his father had done to 'eliminate' Allura, the prince intended to find out. He soon found his path blocked. It seemed that no information was available on any Doomian computers, and the Castle of Lions had released no news. It seemed that if something had happened to the princess, Arus was keeping it mum.

Lotor's wanderings led him down to the old hangar storage bay. It had been a favorite place of his as a child, and he often visited there when he needed to think. A born pilot through and through, being surrounded by examples of Doom's engineering prowess always centered the prince.

Was he surprised when he found his favorite old relic missing from its normal resting place! The earlier generation Doom fighter was the ship he learned to fly on as a young teen-ager. Hoping to take it for a mind-clearing spin, he was caught off guard to find it not in its usual place. He immediately contacted the guard on duty and ordered him to comb through the hangar's manifest. There was no record of the ship being moved or stolen. It should be in its normal spot. Wondering what could have happened to the fighter, Lotor considered that there had to be a connection between his father's cryptic plan and the missing ship.

Walking with purpose out of the storage bay, Lotor decided to use the missing ship as the next starting point for his search. He headed back to the main part of Castle Doom and entered the little used library. Sitting down at one of the state-of-the-art computers in the massive, empty room, Lotor powered up the machine and pulled up a search engine. Entering the codes connected to the missing ship, Lotor sat slack jawed at what he found.

According to the information blinking on the screen, the Doom fighter had been flown weeks ago to one of Doom's moons. From there, the ship had been transferred to some anonymous party. When Lotor checked the authorization codes to see who had initiated the transfer, he found that the codes clearly traced back to…him! But how could this be?

He had nothing to do with the transfer of the ship, the authorization of the transaction, or the elimination of the princess of Arus. But someone was certainly trying to make it look like he did. Sitting back in his chair, the Doomian Prince sighed in defeat as he realized he would get no help or information from anyone working for his father. Lotor decided that the only course of action that would get him anywhere was something he never thought he would do in a million years. Glancing around, he confirmed that he was alone. He turned back to the computer screen and ran a hand through his long, white hair.

Opening a secure, private channel, he punched in the intergalactic codes for Arus. Once the codes were accepted, he leaned forward and spoke clearly into the viewer, "This is Prince Lotor of Planet Doom, calling the Castle of Lions. I wish to speak to Commander Kogane; it's urgent."

VVVVVVVVVVVVV

Back at the Castle of Lions, it had been a difficult night for everyone after it had become apparent that the Arusian monarch had been kidnapped. Staying by Koran's side as long as she could, Lady Crystali remembered the terror that flitted across the advisor's handsome face. She had seen that look before; it was the terror that a father felt when he knew his child was in danger. It was only there for a moment before Koran schooled his features and became brusque and all business once again. When the soon-to-be king summoned the advisor and the Voltron Force behind closed doors, Lady Crystali retired to one of the guest rooms that Nanny prepared. Lying down, the Arusian noblewoman was able to get a few hours of fitful sleep.

It was now five in the morning. Waking suddenly after remembering what had happened the night before, the lady tried desperately to return to her slumber. After a half hour, she gave up, her worry for Koran, Keith, and most of all, her princess, superseding her body's exhaustion. Dressing quickly, she left her room and slowly made her way back down to Castle Control.

She came to the conference room where Lord James and Lady Natasha Dearling had been detained the night before. Gazing through the one way mirror, the Arusian noblewoman could see the couple entangled in the cot that had been brought in for them. Lord Dearling and his wife lay with their arms around each other. After hours of being questioned, they finally succumbed to their mental and physical exhaustion and fell into a fitful sleep. They had yet to come to terms with everything that had happened the night before. As Lady Crystali watched Natasha scowl and thrash suddenly, her heart went out to her friends. From their explanation, it became apparent that they had been forced into an impossible situation. With the threat against their daughter, they had been given no choice but to go along with what the Drule had asked.

Turning away from the Dearlings, she continued down the hall and walked up to the large, steel door protecting the heart of the castle. Placing her face in front of the eye scanner, she breathed out a sigh of relief when the doors soundlessly slid open. She maintained her upper level clearance, at least for the moment. As she made her way inside, she glanced around at the remaining staff monitoring the Control Room, expecting to see Koran sitting at the main console. She was surprised to see not Koran, but Commander Holgersson, from Planet Pollux, instead. The Terran pilot, turned Polluxian Prince consort, looked at her over his shoulder. Offering a small smile in greeting, he quickly turned back to the computers monitoring communications and Arusian airspace.

Walking up behind the handsome prince consort, she offered a quiet hello. "Good morning, Highness." Curtseying slightly, she lifted her eyes to the large monitor that took up the entire far wall of the massive space as she rose. "Is there any news?"

Flinching slightly at the reference to his official title, Sven shook his head regretfully. "No, my lady," he answered. Turning his blue eyes to look at Lady Crystali, he continued, "We have been monitoring transmissions all night. We have heard nothing yet."

Just before Lady Crystali could respond, the large monitor suddenly began blinking, indicating an incoming call. Sven nodded his head to a nearby guard to take the call as he turned back to continue his conversation with the Arusian noblewoman.

The young guard bent over the control panel. Paling suddenly, the young man read and reread the incoming message. Was he reading it correctly? Spinning around in his chair, he desperately waved for Commander Holgersson to join him.

Sighing in annoyance, Sven bowed to Lady Crystali and excused himself. Walking over to the console, the former Blue Lion pilot bent over to read the message that had the young guard all bent out of shape. The word _Incoming Call from Planet Doom_ flashed across the screen. Sven gave a start and jumped backward when he realized what the words meant.

"High alert," he ordered loudly and the quiet control room all of a sudden erupted into an explosion of movement and noise.

The sudden blaring of the klaxons had Lady Crystali clutching at her chest in bewilderment and surprise. Not ten seconds later, the control room door swished open to reveal a sprinting Keith. The rest of the Voltron Force followed closely behind.

The commander reached the main computer console and immediately began barking orders. "Report!" he bellowed to Sven.

Sven didn't even flinch at the strict tone of the commander's voice. Years of working together kept their roles of commanding officer and subordinate clearly defined. He immediately replied to Keith's order. "We have an incoming message from Planet Doom." Glancing at Keith, he waited for the commander's reaction.

Schooling his features, Keith showed no emotion in his face. With a voice devoid of emotion, he said simply, "On screen."

The whole room seemed to hold its breath as Sven pushed the button to accept the incoming call. No one reacted in shock or surprise as a familiar face filled the large monitor that comprised most of the far wall. A blue face framed with long white hair and a serious expression filled the large screen. Leering yellow eyes flitted across the faces in the room, stopping to rest on the unflinching ebony gaze of the Voltron commander.

"Lotor," Keith growled in curt acknowledgement. "We have been expecting your call." Crossing his arms across his chest, the commander straightened to his full height, not wanting to show weakness. "Where is she?"

Nodding in confirmation, Lotor spoke almost to himself. "So she is missing," he confirmed quietly. With his brow furrowed and a frown crossing his handsome face, Lotor appeared lost in thought. He said no more.

Keith was quickly losing his patience. Expecting a call from Lotor with demands for ransom, surrender, or the hand of the princess, the commander stood bewildered at the thoughtful expression etched onto Lotor's normally smug face. Not able to stand the lull in conversation, Keith raised his voice in reply. "Yes, she's missing," he repeated loudly. "As if you didn't know." Glaring menacingly at his arch enemy, Keith waited for Lotor's response.

Shook from his reverie, the Doomian prince seemed to come back to the present. Narrowing his eyes at his beloved's fiancé, Lotor didn't like Keith's accusatory words. "Actually, I didn't know until just now," the prince argued. "I have nothing to do with the princess's disappearance."

"Yeah, right," Lance muttered under his breath. "Like you really expect us to believe you."

The Red Lion pilot was quickly hushed with a stern look from Keith.

Turning back to the monitor, Keith held Lotor's yellow gaze. "Then why are you calling?" he asked, "If not to make demands or brag that you have Allura?"

Flinching slightly at the familiar use of the princess's first name, Lotor swallowed his anger and jealousy that threatened to erupt. "I am calling," he explained through gritted teeth, "because I may have information that could be helpful in getting the princess back."

Suddenly, the normally quiet Hunk piped up. "You can't be serious, Lotor! All evidence points to you and Doom. You can't really think we would be foolish enough to believe that you had nothing to do with the princess's disappearance AND that you want to help us. What do you think we are? Idiots?"

The Doomian prince's temper erupted. "Commander Kogane," he addressed Keith directly. "Might I suggest you get control of your officers? I would never allow such lack of discipline by those under my command." Flashing an annoyed look at Hunk, Lotor then looked directly at Keith, his voice much more controlled. "Now can we continue our conversation or not? I don't have all day, and I am quickly becoming tired of this drabble."

Closing his eyes, Keith quickly took a deep breath. He would deal with both Hunk and Lance later. Knowing their outbursts stemmed from their worry for Allura, the commander did not appreciate that they made him look weak in front of Lotor. Shaking his head, he realized that was the last thing he should be worried about at the moment. Refocusing on Lotor, he decided he at least had to hear what the Drule prince had to say. "I would like to continue this conversation," he replied. "But I would prefer to do it face to face, here, at the Castle of Lions."

A collective gasp went up around the control room. Fifteen pairs of eyes turned to stare in disbelief at the Voltron commander. Koran voiced aloud what everyone else was thinking. "Commander, you can't be serious. Lotor? Here? At the Castle of Lions?"

Ignoring the looks and protests around him, Keith kept his gaze even with Lotor and asked, "Would you excuse us for one moment while I confer with my counsel?" When Lotor nodded after a moment's hesitation, Keith nodded to Sven to place the call momentarily on hold.

Turning back to Koran, Sven, and the Voltron Force, Keith stood in full commander mode. His expression challenged any of those in the room to question him. In a low voice, he explained, "We need to hear what Lotor has to say. The safest way to do that and to ensure Allura's safety is to meet here, where we will have an advantage. I am going to demand that Lotor come immediately and alone. If he resists those conditions, then we know he is lying. Does anyone have any questions or concerns?"

Glancing around at his fellow Voltron pilots, Keith was relieved when he saw them all shake their heads. He looked at Sven. The Polluxian consort was obviously concerned and doubtful, but he also kept his mouth shut and shook his head at the Voltron commander. It was only Koran that protested.

"Keith," the advisor implored. "Do you really and truly believe that he had nothing to do with Allura's disappearance? I must protest your decision."

Interrupting Koran, Keith replied, "Duly noted, however, as commander of the Voltron Force and head of the Arusian military, my power super cedes yours." A gasp from Nanny and Lady Crystali were the only responses to Keith's harsh words. With a moment's hesitation, Koran bowed his head, turned on his heel, and stomped from the room, Lady Crystali following closely behind. Feeling the rest of the group's reluctant acceptance of his plan, Keith ignored all the distractions unfolding around him as he motioned for Sven to reactivate the call. He would have to deal with Koran later.

Lotor's face once again filled the monitor. "Well?" he asked, impatience apparent in his voice.

"You shall come here to Arus, alone," Keith offered. "One ship, no escort. We will meet here over dinner." The commander's ebony gaze was unrelenting and unwavering. Waiting for Lotor's protest, Keith was bemused when the Doomian prince remained silent. "Then and only then will I truly believe that what you say is true."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Watching the scene before him on the small computer monitor in the library in Castle Doom, Lotor stared at Keith Kogane. Deep down, he knew that he could not blame Keith for his caution. After all, they were mortal enemies. Though he detested the Voltron commander, he loved Allura, and he felt in his heart that her life was in danger. Keeping that at the forefront of his mind, he let all anger and hate for Keith slide away and thought about how he would react if the tables were turned. Realizing he would be just as cautious and doubtful about his enemy's intentions, he decided the most efficient course of action would be to accept Keith's terms and meet with him and the Voltron Force at the Castle of Lions. Only working together would they be able to hopefully find Allura. Coming to a decision, he leaned in closer to the view screen.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

The Castle of Lions control room waited in baited anticipation as they watched the Drule prince consider Keith's terms. After several long moments, Lotor leaned closer to the monitor and snarled, "I will agree to your terms, Commander Kogane, but I will hold you to an honor code. As future King of Arus, do you promise that no capture or harm will come to me, the Prince of Doom, as a guest at the Castle of Lions?"

With a start, Keith realized that Lotor had just acknowledged him as future king of Arus. Was Lotor finally accepting his and Allura's betrothal and his future position beside her? Glancing around, Keith sought Koran's assistance with how to respond to Lotor. He quickly remembered that Koran had left the room, and so he compromised. He responded as he would to a superior officer. Saluting Lotor, he nodded. "I accept your terms, and as future king of Arus and as a Galaxy Garrison officer, I promise that you will be welcomed as our guest."

Surprising everyone, Lotor laughed, not a menacing, maniacal sound, but a guffaw resounding with amusement. "Not the usual response to an honor code, but I'll take it." Seeing that everyone was staring at him in bewilderment, Lotor quickly sobered, becoming all business again. "I shall leave for Arus immediately. I should be there in a few hours. Lotor signing off."

Keith sighed in relief as the screen finally went black. Not wanting to justify his reasoning, he turned to his team. "Get some breakfast. Let's meet in the conference room at 0700. We have a lot to prepare for." Without a backwards glance, the commander of the Voltron Force quickly left the room, striding toward the dining room to break his own fast and formulate his plan for how to keep the upper hand against Lotor.


	20. Chapter 20

I am overdue for an update. I have not worked on this in ages, but I have several chapters already written. Happy Easter! Thank you for continued follows and favorites. Keep the reviews coming.

A new OC is introduced in this chapter. Her name was chosen months ago. Any similarity to other characters in other fanfiction works is purely coincidental.

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Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

* * *

Chapter 19

Artie stared at the unconscious princess as she lay on the ostentatiously appointed bed. Willing her to wake up, he anxiously fingered the diamond Lion brooch within his meaty hand. When the princess failed to move, the Arusian stood angrily and stomped into the adjacent sitting room, the pin still clutched in his hand. Finding Rallock lounging on the couch with his arm draped over the beautiful prostitute he hired to help take care of the princess, he gave an annoyed grunt. Both whore and Drule glanced up. With a toss of his head, Artie dismissed the young woman to see to the princess. She looked startled for a moment, and then immediately jumped to her feet and scurried from the room. Once she left, Artie moved to sit across from Rallock in an adjacent chaise lounge.

The Drule stared at him with an annoyed and menacing expression. "Can I ask why you interrupted me?" he snarled. "I was just getting comfortable with Isla."

"Isla is not here for you," Artie explained with a growl. "She is here to take care of the princess and to help justify us being here."

"Couldn't we also take advantage of the fact that she is a whore and use her for our own selfish pleasures?" Rallock questioned, an awkward, lustful smile quirking on his lips. "I have needs."

Shaking his head, Artie could not help but smile in amusement at the Drule. He was right. Isla was a whore, or a prostitute, as he preferred to call a woman who sold herself for money. Would it be so wrong for them to get some enjoyment out of the situation? Artie might allow it.

The kidnapping of the princess of Arus had occurred about twelve hours before. The extraction had gone flawlessly, and Rallock was confident that they had not been tracked or followed. Upon returning to Rydrax, the Drule met Artie outside the hangar bay, where he had ditched the disguised Drule fighter. Driving a used hover car that he had recently purchased, Artie immediately headed to their safe house.

Their safe house was a lesser known brothel located in a seedier section of town. Brothels were everywhere on Rydrax, existing to meet the needs of the planet's mostly male population. This particular brothel had come recommended by Artie's boss. He had said that "the girls were beautiful and willing, yet the location was secret and hidden." It sounded like the perfect place to hide the kidnapped princess.

When Artie came to the brothel, he requested the biggest and best room in the place. He also requested a girl who would mind her business and do what she was told. They had been assigned young Isla. About the same age as Allura, Isla was tall and lean, with long burgundy hair and bright green eyes. Artie remembered in amusement how the young woman greeted him with a seductive smile, but recoiled at first from the Drule. Expecting to be used in less than pleasurable ways, the young woman had been relieved when Artie informed her that he needed her to take care of the princess, not Rallock. Snickering menacingly, he wondered what her reaction would be once he told her that her role may have changed slightly.

Suddenly, a loud, blood-curdling scream erupted from the other room. Both Artie and Rallock were on their feet in an instant. With a shared glance, they bolted toward the bedroom. It seemed the princess was finally awake.

VVVVVVVVVVVV

As a gentle hand rubbed a cool, damp cloth across her forehead, Allura fought to regain consciousness. _I must have dreamed it all, _she thought. Opening her eyes, she expected to see Nanny hovering above her. Instead, a beautiful face that she didn't recognize hung over her. The face was not Arusian or Terran; she didn't recognize the humanoid species. Was she a new maid? Focusing her gaze from the beautiful face to the room around her, Allura gave a start. She was not in her bedroom. She was not in the Castle of Lions. All of a sudden, the events of the day before came rushing back and terror filled her heart. Unable to control herself, the princess let out a shriek of pure fright. Taken aback by the sudden reaction, the young woman backed away in shock and just stared at the screaming princess.

Pounding footsteps entered the room. Allura stopped screaming for a moment to see who had entered. At the sight of first Rallock, and then Artie, Allura could not help but scream again. Only when a lazon sword was held to her throat did she finally stop.

"I suggest that you stop screaming, Princess. I would hate to have to make you stop," Rallock threatened. As the princess leaned back against the pillows, no other sound came out. Rallock relaxed his grip on the lazon sword and reduced the pressure against the princess's neck. "There, there, lay back. Young Isla is only trying to help you."

Allura's azure eyes snapped from the Drule to Artie to the young woman named Isla. She stared at them as they stared at her, her eyes flitting from side to side. Finally finding her voice, she whispered, "Water, please?"

Nodding at Isla, Artie watched as the young princess struggled to sit up. His heart wrenched for a moment at her frightful state. Her hair was matted and tangled. Her makeup, once perfectly done, was streaked across her face, dark smudges of mascara indicating that she had been crying. Her beautiful dress was torn and wrinkled, and her bare feet were dirty and cut. She looked nothing like the beautiful monarch who ruled his home world and had almost ruled his heart. Remembering that she had chosen Kogane over him, he let his empathy for Allura slip away. Instead, he glared in satisfaction at her frightened and disheveled state.

The kind young girl quickly brought Allura the requested cup of water. As she gulped it down in several swallows, her head felt clearer. Struggling to sit up, she felt the girl's gentle arm come around her shoulders to brace her into a sitting position. After setting a silk pillow behind her back, the girl helped the princess lean gently back against the headboard. "Thank you," she managed to squeak out hoarsely from between dry, chapped lips. She offered a smile in gratitude. The young girl returned a small, gentle smile as she squeezed the young princess's shoulders in a sisterly hug.

"Enough," bellowed Artie from across the room. Isla jumped back from the princess at the sudden outburst. "You!" He pointed at the young girl. "Isla! Go with Rallock; the Drule is suddenly in need of your services." He turned to see Rallock eyeing the young beauty in lustful anticipation. Seeing her eyes suddenly bulge in terror, Artie laughed unsympathetically as he walked to where Isla stood next to the princess's bed. "Come now, my dear, isn't it what you get paid to do?"

Rallock walked over to where Isla stood next to Allura, frozen in shock and terror. Having been told she would have to care for the injured woman, she rested in the fact that her other services would not be needed. She was terrified of the Drule because of his mere size and the damage he could so easily inflict on her. Recoiling slightly as the Drule put his arm around her slight shoulders, she let her eyes meet Allura's, begging for the princess to intervene.

Opening her mouth to protest, Allura sat shell shocked when, from out of nowhere, she was backhanded by the Drule. "Don't say a word, princess. You are not in charge here; we are. Sit there, shut up, and no further harm will come to you. What Isla and I do is between us." Looking over at Artie, he saw the Arusian nod at him, giving him the signal that he was dismissed. "Now if you would please excuse us, Lord Arthur, Princess Allura. Isla and I have some business in the other room."

Isla turned in surprise back to the other woman in the bed. The woman meant nothing to Isla at first. The young prostitute had just assumed she was another whore, brought in for the personal use of the one called Mr. Leonard. Hearing her official title, Isla suddenly recognized the woman from the news program she had been watching earlier that day. It was _Princess Allura_ of Planet Arus. The sound for the program had been turned off, so she wasn't entirely sure what the princess had been celebrating. Why was she here on Rydrax? A brothel was not a place you expected to find a person of royal background. The young princess looked bewildered and terrified. Isla gazed intently at Allura. _I will try and help you, _she tried to communicate to the princess before she left the room with Rallock.

Allura caught the intense look on Isla's face. She received the message from the other woman loud and clear. Just as the door swished shut, the princess felt Artie sit down next to her on the bed. As he moved closer to her, she fought the bile that threatened to rise in her throat. Turning away from him, she took deep breaths to try and control the sudden nausea that washed over her.

"Why hello, Princess?" Artie greeted her officially. "Welcome to Rydrax. I hope you find the accommodations acceptable?"

The princess of Arus took a moment to peruse this man who was once her friend and loyal subject. Artie had changed considerably since she last saw him before his trial. Gone was his protruding stomach, replaced with a much thinner, almost emaciated physique. His dirty blond hair, usually cropped close to his head, was much longer and shaggier, touching the bottom of his neck. A scraggly beard covered his cheeks and chin, giving him the appearance of a lumberjack. He looked like a completely different person. But there was no mistaking the malevolent and evil glint in his eye. This was definitely Arthur, the man who revealed his thirst for power and his need for control to the princess only a few months ago. And this Arthur was bent on revenge. Allura eyed him warily before she responded. "What do you want, Artie? Why am I here?" she asked. Scooting as far over as she could away from him, she hoped he wouldn't touch her. She was still too weak to fight him off.

"You are here, my princess, simply because of what you did to me, to my family. You have shamed me, gotten me exiled off Arus. I no longer control the Southern province, which was my birth right. You are here because I want revenge. I want back what's rightfully mine." Gripping the Lion brooch more tightly, he grimaced in pain as the pin bit into his hand.

Hearing the tone of his words, Allura sat frozen in terror. Her brain whirred with all the possibilities of what his plan could possibly include. Her mouth slowly formed words. "Are you going to kill me?" she whispered, terror evident in her voice.

Chuckling, Artie shook his head. "No, my dear, but I would be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind." When she let out a small sigh of relief, Artie continued, "Killing you would only get me in more trouble and not help me get my final objective."

He didn't hope to sire the next heir to the throne, did he? Knowing she would never let him take her willingly, Allura gasped at another disgusting and twisted possibility. "You're not going to rape me, are you?" _Keith_, she screamed in her mind. _Oh Gods! Help me. Please._

"And what makes you think I would want you after you were tainted by that commoner? Please, Allura, I would never lower my morals that much." A look of disgust crossed Artie'S face at the thought.

Allura sighed in relief in spite of herself. She wouldn't be killed or raped, at least not at Artie's hand. But what about the Drule? "Will he hurt me?" she questioned, nodding toward the door Rallock and Isla exited moments before.

Losing his patience suddenly, Artie slammed his fist into the mattress. "Enough questions!" he bellowed. "No, he won't hurt you, unless I ask him, too. Now shut up!"

The princess stared at Artie in bemusement. She was utterly confused as to the reason for her abduction. If he didn't mean to kill her or rape her, then what did he plan to do with her? Despite his stern warning, the princess pressed on. "Artie," she said gently. "Why did you take me then? What do you intend to do with me?" A glint of silver in Artie's hand caught her eye. _The brooch! _Allura screamed to herself. _The homing device! I have to get that back from Artie!_ Forgetting about Keith's safeguard earlier, the princess had been in and out of consciousness. Now that she was thinking more clearly, she suddenly remembered that Pidge had programmed a homing device into the back of the brooch. Allura watched as Artie fingered the trinket in his hand. Needing to gauge whether he was aware of the secondary purpose of the jewelry, Allura watched him quietly.

Narrowing his eyes, Artie saw Allura catch a glimpse of the priceless treasure. He could see her mind calculating on how to get the brooch back. He could not let that happen. The brooch was the key to getting the approval of the Arusian people; it represented the blessing of King Alfor. He would need it to win favor and make his claim legitimate. "Why don't you rest now, Princess? You have had enough excitement for one day. Your body is still recovering from your transport. As soon as Isla is available," he paused and smirked at the grimace that crossed Allura's face, "I will send her in and have her attend you. You are in need of some freshening up." Without another word, Artie left the room through a different door.

Accepting Artie's suggestion without protest, Allura simply nodded. She would need to rest in order to fully regain her strength. She would need time to be alone with Isla. Perhaps the girl would be able to help her get the brooch. She didn't need to steal the piece of jewelry; she simply needed to press the button on the back to activate the homing device. Then and only then would there be any possibility of Keith and the rest of the force finding her. Lying flat on her back, Allura closed her eyes. It wasn't long before her exhausted body once again fell into a fitful sleep, dreams of worried ebony eyes and dark, furrowed brows in her mind's eye.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please don't use without my permission.

Chapter 20

The residents of the Castle of Lions were on edge. Prince Lotor, son of Arus's sworn enemy and repeat offender against their princess, was expected to be arriving at any moment. Keith and the rest of the Voltron Force were camped out in Castle Control anxiously awaiting Lotor's arrival. Normally, Castle Control would be where Koran would wait, but not today. Instead, the advisor sat in the library, angry and hurt over Keith's blatant disregard for his advice, and worried and fearful for the safety of the princess. It was in the library, staring out the large floor-to-ceiling windows, that Lady Crystali found him a few hours later.

Ignoring the swish of the doors opening, Koran continued to stare out the window at the beautiful blue sky. It seemed as if the day had not been informed about the terror and drama of the night before, or else chose to ignore it. Ironically, the day burst forth warm and sunny, without a cloud in the sky, happy, in spite of the abduction of the princess. It seemed wrong somehow that the day should not reflect what the people of the Castle of Lions were feeling. Koran started from his melancholy thoughts when a gentle hand touched his shoulder.

Turning to see who had disturbed him, Koran was unsurprised to find Crystali standing behind him. He and the Arusian noblewoman had become quite close in the last several weeks and he surmised it would only be a matter of time before she came to find him.

Gazing down at him in sympathy, she offered a small smile. "Here you are," she said quietly. "I have been looking for you everywhere."

Swiveling back toward the window, Koran resumed his gaze on the horizon. Subconsciously, he was watching for Lotor's ship to enter Arusian airspace. The thought caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up; he shuddered in dread. Once Lotor set foot in the Castle of Lions, he knew there was no turning back. Shifting his thoughts back to his companion, he responded to Crystali. "I just needed some time to think," he informed her. "I needed to think about how to talk to Keith."

Crystali furrowed her brow in confusion. "Why do you need to talk to Keith?" she asked, bemusement evident in her voice. "He made his decision to invite Lotor here."

"Yes," Koran quickly interrupted her, "but I don't think he is really thinking things through. He is letting his fear for Allura cloud his judgement. He is jumping at any opportunity to get her back, and he is not considering the consequences of Lotor being here could have on Arus. I would have explained that if he had given me a chance." Growing more and more agitated as he vented, Koran slammed his fists against the mahogany table in front of him.

Sitting down in the chair next to him, Crystali allowed him to finish his lament. When she was sure he was done, she gently reached her hand up and cupped his chin. She tilted his head toward her so she forced him to look at her. Gazing into his eyes, the lady sat quietly for several moments before she finally spoke. "Koran," she commented quietly. "Keith is a trained Garrison commander. He has led the Voltron Force for the past three years. Allura has chosen him to be her husband, to rule beside her as king." Stopping for a moment, she dropped her hand and sat back. "Don't you think Keith knows what he is doing? Don't you think he considered the danger?"

Running both hands through his normally well-kept hair, Koran let out an epic sigh. "Yes, I know all that. It's just…" Koran struggled to find his words as he fought to control his emotions. "It's always been my job to protect the princess, to make plans, to advise," he finally finished with tears in his eyes. "I feel so useless. And for Keith to dismiss me so callously." His voice trailed off.

Placing a gentle hand on top of his, Crystali looked at Koran with understanding. "You're being too hard on yourself," she soothed. "No one could have predicted or prevented what happened. Now all we can do is work to get the princess back. Keith feels that talking to Lotor is the best way to ensure that happens. He would not let Lotor anywhere near Arus if he felt the prince was a threat."

"I know," Koran conceded. "I just wish I knew that she was safe, that no harm has come to her…" His voice broke off as the usually strong and stoic advisor finally broke down. Putting his head in his hands, Koran cried.

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Crystali held Koran as the torrent flowed. Her heart broke for the man. Knowing he loved the princess as a daughter, the lady could only imagine the anguish Koran was experiencing.

They stayed that way for several minutes while Koran pulled himself together. Finally, the advisor gently extricated himself from Crystali's embrace. He couldn't help but notice how comfortable he felt with this woman. So right, in fact, that he allowed her to see his emotional side, one which few have seen. Realizing he had other things to sort out before he could explore those feelings further, Koran simply sat back and gently took her hand. Raising it to his lips, he placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. "Thank you," he murmured through his mustache.

"You're welcome," she replied, her eyes shimmering with empathy and something else.

All conversation halted with the blaring of the klaxons. Koran turned his eyes to the sky where he spotted a lone ship entering Arusian airspace. No armada or Robeast escorted the prince of Doom, as was promised earlier in the Control Room. "That's Lotor,"he explained. "He has arrived. I must get down to the hangar bay to receive our guest."

Nodding, Crystali quickly stood. "Of course," she agreed. Moving out of the way, she allowed Koran to walk to the door to the library first. Following him, she stopped abruptly when he suddenly turned back to her.

"Crystali," Koran started. "When this is all over…when the princess is safe and sound…?" He couldn't seem to finish his question.

"Yes," Crystali answered the unspoken question. "Yes." She offered a reassuring smile. "We will talk then."

Returning her smile, Koran bowed to Lady Crystali. Then he quickly turned and plodded to the hangar bay where Lotor had been instructed to land. On the way, he prayed to Alfor and any gods listening that Lotor could provide the information they needed to get the princess back safe and sound.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Standing at attention, Keith waited impatiently with the rest of the Voltron Force and Sven in hangar bay two. Lotor's ship had just landed, and the Doomian Prince had yet to emerge from the cruiser. Glancing around, Keith verified that the welcome contingent was flanked by a small company of Arusian guard. Though Keith meant what he had promised Lotor, that he would not be taken prisoner, the commander couldn't take any chances. He didn't entirely trust Lotor; he just needed to work with him to get the intel he had concerning Allura's abduction.

The door to the main castle lobby hissed open. From the corner of his eye, Keith saw Koran trod onto the tarmac, stopping to stand behind the Voltron Force. Frowning, the commander stood annoyed when the advisor failed to come and stand beside him to greet Lotor. The advisor left in a huff a few hours earlier when Keith failed to heed his warning against allowing Lotor to come to the Castle of Lions. _He must still be annoyed, _Keith thought. _Oh well, I guess I am left to face Lotor on my own._

A second hiss filled the air. Straightening his shoulders, Keith unflinchingly faced the Doom cruiser. The ship's airlock slowly lowered, revealing the tall and imposing figure of the crown prince of Doom. Keith's obsidian gaze held steady as his mortal enemy came into view.

Stepping out into the brightly lit bay, Lotor blinked rapidly as his yellow eyes adjusted from the darkness of his cockpit. Allowing his eyes to roam around the hangar bay, he smirked when he noticed the company of Arusian guard. When his eyes finally came to rest on the commander, he lightly made an accusation. "What, Commander Kogane? You don't take me at my word?" Feeling slightly offended, he cocked a white eyebrow in question.

Keith moved to stand in a military parade rest, his feet shoulder width apart as he stood with his arms folded behind his back. "Prince Lotor," he responded. "Would your reaction be any different if the Voltron Force came to Doom?"

Shrugging in resignation, Lotor reached up to remove his helmet and shook his head earnestly. "No, I guess not," he replied. To show that he had kept his word, he walked down the gangplank and stopped just before Keith. The two men eyed each other warily for several minutes before Lotor made the first move. Reaching out his hand, he offered Keith a handshake.

Keith was startled by the gesture. His interactions with Lotor had only ever been in battle between the Lions and a Robeast, or in hand to hand combat with the princess's honor usually at stake. Never had he imagined the Prince of Doom offering a handshake. He stood bemused for a long moment before he finally reached out to accept Lotor's gesture. An audible sigh could be heard from the others present in the hangar bay as the initial tension was broken.

Remembering their original bargain, made between two courtly rulers, Keith let his diplomatic training take over. "Your highness," he greeted the Doomian prince with a bow. "Welcome to the Castle of Lions. On behalf of her Royal Highness, Princess Allura, I welcome you. We have made arrangements for you to freshen up before we have dinner and begin our discussions."

Flinching slightly upon hearing the name of his beloved, Lotor accepted Keith's greeting with a nod. "Thank you, Commander," he said. "Please lead the way." With a bow toward the Voltron commander, the prince fell into step beside him as he was led into the bowels of the castle.

VVVVVVVVVVV

Koran watched the exchange with surprised eyes. Keith had handled himself with the grace and confidence of a practiced monarch. Lotor seemed to be keeping to his word and treating this as a courtly meeting between allies rather than enemies. Both men walked regally out of the hangar bay, Lotor to freshen up after his journey, and Keith to prepare the dining room for their dinner meeting and discussion. Letting out a deep sigh, Koran exited the hangar bay to go and freshen up himself. He would attend the dinner, as would the rest of the Voltron Force, and Commander Holgersson. Not knowing Lotor's ultimate goal, they would need to proceed carefully. He just prayed that the prince had information that would ensure they would get their princess back. They would deal with what he really wanted once she was back home, safe and sound.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please don't use without my permission.

Chapter 21

Awakening to sunlight streaming in the dirty window, Allura opened her eyes, fully aware of the nightmare she was currently living. Looking around the room, she felt relieved to find that she was alone in the room. Sitting up, she tried to gauge her surroundings. The room was decorated opulently, in shades of burgundy and gold. Thick heavy wallpaper covered the walls, and heavy brocade drapes framed the window. The window itself was covered with heavy bars, similar to those in a prison. From her vantage point on the bed, Allura could just make out the tops of other buildings that surrounded the brothel.

With a shudder, Allura remembered where Artie and the Drule were keeping her, and that fact creeped her out. The room appeared to have two entrances, one through which Rallock exited with Isla late last night, and another through which Artie left. The third open door must lead to a bathroom. Suddenly overtaken with her body's natural urges, the princess threw her legs over the side of the bed. Using one arm for leverage, she attempted to push herself up. Her legs felt steady enough, though she waited a moment before she tried to take a step. When she found that she didn't waver or experience any dizziness, she took one step, and then two. After several steps, she quickly plodded the rest of the way over to the small bathroom. With a great sigh of relief, the princess closed the door so she could take care of her personal needs.

After several moments, the princess emerged from the bathroom to find that she was no longer alone. Standing in the middle of the room was Isla, bathed and changed since the princess saw her last night. Allura eyed her carefully, examining her top to bottom for injuries or evidence of abuse. When she found none, she moved her azure eyes to rest back on the beautiful face of the prostitute. The young woman stared in awe at the young princess.

Used to having awestruck eyes on her, the princess of Arus stood unnerved by Isla's star struck expression. Deciding to start the conversation, Allura moved further into the room toward Isla. "Hello," she began, breaking the silence. "You are Isla?"

The young woman nodded, seemingly at a loss for words. When she didn't reply, Allura continued, "I am…"

"Princess Allura!" Isla exclaimed with fervor, failing to wait for Allura to finish. "From Planet Arus! Pilot of the Blue Lion, and member of the Voltron Force!" The words practically tumbled out. "I know who you are, your highness." Taking a deep breath, Isla stopped long enough to curtsey awkwardly to Allura. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Raising her eyebrows, Allura watched the young woman with bewilderment. _How could she have served Rallock and be so chipper and energetic this morning? _the princess mused. Moving to sit back on the edge of the bed, she responded, "It's nice to meet you, as well, Isla."

"Mr. Leonard sent me in here to see if you needed anything. I thought perhaps maybe you could use a shower and a change of clothes," Isla offered.

Furrowing her brows in confusion, Allura didn't have any idea who Mr. Leonard was. Suddenly, a lightbulb flashed in her mind. _Arthur Leonardis Leonard must be Artie's alter ego._ Allura decided she needed to gauge how much the girl knew of Arthur's plan and whether or not she was a potential ally. Deciding to seek out that information, Allura appealed to Isla's personal well-being. "That would be wonderful, yes, thank you," she agreed. "But first, I must ask you. Are you alright?"

Blinking in puzzlement, the burgundy haired beauty just stared at the princess. "Am I alright?" she repeated. "Why yes, I am fine," she assured Allura.

"Even after last night?" Allura questioned, concern clouding her blue eyes. "The Drule didn't hurt you, did he?"

Finally realizing what the princess was getting at, Isla shook her head fiercely. "Not at all," she explained. "He was very quick and surprisingly gentle. He was pretty much in, out and done." Giggling, she smiled knowingly at the princess.

Allura was taken aback by the forward shrewdness of the young woman. The way she spoke about it so matter-of-factly had the princess reeling. This woman looked at sex like she looked at piloting Blue Lion; it was something she just had to do. Shaking her head, Allura tried to erase the picture that had formed in her mind. "Oh, ok," she stammered. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure," Isla replied. "Now come, princess. Let's get you freshened up and out of that torn dress." Offering an outstretched hand, Isla looked expectantly at Allura.

Not knowing what else to say, the princess simply accepted her hand and allowed herself to be pulled back toward the bathroom, shaking her head the whole way.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Over the course of the next hour, Allura found herself thoroughly entertained by Isla. The girl was Rudarian, sent to live on Rydrax when she turned fifteen after she was kicked out of her home by her stepfather. Unable to find work, the madam of the brothel took pity on the young girl and offered her a place to live in exchange for housekeeping services. When Isla turned eighteen, she willingly became a call girl because of the money that she could make. Not planning on being a prostitute forever, Isla had plans to book passage off of Rydrax as soon as she could. The money that Mr. Leonard was paying her would give her the last little bit that she needed to leave the wretched planet. Isla was funny and smart, and Allura found herself laughing with the girl as she shared stories of some of the clients that came through the doors of the brothel.

After her breakfast and bath, Allura found herself relaxed for the first time since she was taken. She returned to the bedroom of the suite to dress. Sighing as she shrugged into a royal blue tunic and soft black leggings, Allura gazed sadly at her ruined engagement dress lying on the bed. Perching next to it, she ran her fingers gently down the destroyed bodice.

Catching her melancholy, Isla gently picked up the dress. "Don't worry, Princess," she stated gently. "Madam Buzaar can fix this up as good as new. She is a master with a needle and thread."

Nodding distractedly, the princess agreed. Fighting back a sniffle, she said, "Thank you. I would very much like that dress back."

"It's beautiful," Isla reaffirmed. "Was it for a special occasion?"

"My engagement party," Allura answered, tears threatening to fall.

"Congratulations!" Isla gushed as she grabbed Allura's left hand. "Are you engaged to Mr. Leonard?"

With panic gripping her heart, Allura snapped her eyes to the hand held gingerly in Isla's. Her engagement ring remained on her finger, much to the princess's surprise. Turning the stone toward her palm must have allowed the ring to go unnoticed by both Artie and the Drule. She let out a long sigh of relief.

The young woman gently swiveled the large stone around so it sat properly on the princess's finger. Allura was so relieved that she still had her ring that she didn't fully hear the words Isla had spoken. After a few heartbeats, Allura fully comprehended what Isla has so innocently suggested. _Am I engaged to Mr. Leonard? _A very un-princess like retching sound escaped from the princess of Arus. Gagging at what the girl said, Allura coughed profusely into her hand. "No," she stuttered as she tried to clear her throat. "I am most certainly not engaged to Mr. Leonard!" Her reaction was fierce and forceful, and from the way Isla backed away, Allura could tell she shocked the young girl.

Isla's green eyes shined with unshed tears. Fearing she had offended the princess, she tried to apologize. "I am so sorry, your highness. I just assumed that since you were here…"

Focusing on the young girl, Allura decided to conduct almost a reverse interrogation. Rather than providing the information to Isla, she needed to probe her to find out exactly what she knew or assumed. Perhaps she could use the information to garner Isla's sympathy and assistance. Having watched Keith do this on several occasions, she cleared her throat and looked pointedly at Isla. "Why did you assume I was here?"

Isla felt trapped. Her green eyes flitted around the room, looking for a quick escape. When she realized there wasn't one, she focused back on the princess. Allura looked at her expectantly, but her face did not seem angry or annoyed. She just seemed curious. When the princess offered a smile, Isla took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. Sitting down next to the princess on the large bed, Isla revealed her own assumptions. "At first, I just thought you were a new girl," she explained apologetically. "I thought you were brought here to be the personal prostitute of Mr. Leonard." When Allura shuddered in disgust, Isla offered some comfort by wrapping a long arm around the princess's slender shoulders. "Now, I know you are the princess of Arus. I overheard Rallock refer to you by name, and I recognized you after I saw you on the television yesterday afternoon. You were shown walking down a grand staircase with a very handsome escort. He was tall, with long dark hair, wearing a military uniform. I assumed he was your brother."

Shaking her head fiercely, Allura could not contain her emotion. Sniffling, she reached up to brush her tears away. "No," she explained as her floodgates opened up and her tears came uninhibited. "That was my fiancé, Keith Kogane. He commands the Voltron Force."

Recognition flashed across Isla's face. "Of course," she sighed. "I knew I had seen him before. He has led press conferences on the Zarkonian wars before." Furrowing her brow, the young woman reached out to take both of Allura's hand in her own. "If he's your fiancé, then why are you here on Rydrax with Mr. Leonard and a Drule?"

"I don't know," Allura hiccupped as the torrent of tears slowed to a trickle. "I was taken against my will from my engagement party last night. Until you just told me, I had no idea where I was. Rydrax, did you say?"

Nodding her head, Isla replied, "Yes, Rydrax. It's a small industrial planet."

Interrupting her, Allura nodded her head. "I know what it is, and I know where it is." Glancing up suddenly, she let her azure eyes bore into Isla's green ones. "Now if only I can somehow let Keith and the Voltron Force know where I am."

A look of terror crossed Isla's face. Gritting her teeth, she broke eye contact with the princess and glanced toward the one closed door, obviously afraid at what was on the other side. "There is no way, Highness. Rallock and Mr. Leonard have locked down all the computers and telephones. I have no communications access, and I am to stay in this room until they are no longer in need of my services. That was the agreement reached with Madame Buzaar." Looking down, she fought the terrified shiver that slithered down her spine. "I am afraid that if I disobey, they might kill me."

"I don't expect you to do anything that could endanger you," the Arusian princess tried to reassure the girl, squeezing her arm. "You wouldn't have to do any of that." Feeling hopeful for the first time, she smiled knowingly. "There is another way."

"How?" Isla asked in awe.

"Did you see that Lion brooch I was wearing here?" She pointed to the part of the engagement dress where the pin had been affixed. "It was a platinum lion's head with diamond eyes?"

"Yes, I saw it," Isla confirmed. "It looked like a priceless piece of jewelry."

"It is a priceless piece of jewelry," Allura agreed. "But that's not why I need to get to it. It's also a secret homing device." Isla gasped and looked hesitantly at the princess. "We just need to activate it."

"What if Mr. Leonard notices that it's gone? Won't he be suspicious?" Isla asked worriedly.

Shaking her head, Allura explained, "I don't need you to bring it to me. I just need to press the hidden button on the back."

"Oh!" Isla exclaimed.

Leaning in closer to Isla, the princess dropped her voice to a whisper. "Do you know where the brooch is being kept?"

"Yes," Isla said. "When Mr. Leonard is not holding it, it is on the coffee table in the main sitting room of the suite." Pointing, she gestured to the door on the left. "Just through there."

"Do you have access to the brooch?" Allura inquired.

"Not much," Isla stated disappointedly. "It seems like he always has it in hand. Except," she paused for a moment. "Except when he needs to use the restroom, then he lays it on the table."

Looking hopeful for the first time, Allura leaned toward Isla. Grabbing the girl's slender hands, the princess gazed expectantly at the young prostitute. "Please," she begged. "Please help me! All you need to do is press the button. It wouldn't take but a few seconds. Artie and Rallock would be none the wiser. I doubt they have discovered the small button. Please say you'll do it." Tears threatened to fall again at the small chasm that lay between her capture and rescue. The princess felt desperate and she hoped that the feeling showed to Isla. "Please?"

Sitting stone still, Isla considered her options. On one hand, if she did as she was told, and she followed through with serving Mr. Leonard and the Drule, she would have the money she needed to escape Rydrax and begin her new life. She would also guarantee her own safety and the safety of the brothel madam who had helped her all these years. If she went against them and agreed to help the princess, she would ensure Allura's rescue, but risk her own life. After contemplating her choices for several minutes, she finally reached a decision. Reaching out, she placed a gentle hand on top of the princess's hand. "Princess Allura," she said. "I will help you. But once you are rescued, will you help me and Madame Buzaar. We both need help off of this hell hole." When the princess nodded exuberantly in agreement, Isla smiled. "Ok," she whispered. "Now tell me how to activate the homing device."


	23. Chapter 23

I know I have been gone a long time. It has been a busy summer, and I haven't made time to write. I have up through chapter 24 pretty much done. After this, I am going on hiatus on this story until further notice. I want to finish this and give it the attention it deserves. Not only for me, but also for all of you who have favorited and followed Free Fall. I apologize and just ask for your patience as I regroup and try to get this story back on track.

With that I have decided to update for a couple of reasons. First, I realized I messed up some of my chapters. I replaced Chapter 20 and 21 with the correct chapters. Today I am posting Chapter 22 (Chapter 1 is actually the prologue.)

Second, IT'S CUBBIE'S BIRTHDAY! She deserves to be called out, honored, and given props for all she does for our KA love. This chapter is dedicated to Cubbie. Wishing you a very happy birthday in Oz. Love and KA from me and mine. Sorry I have been MIA from fandom. I hope this helps make up for it.

Enjoy!

* * *

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please don't use without my permission.

* * *

Chapter 22

Pacing nervously in the formal dining room of the Castle of Lions, Keith, clad once again in his formal military uniform, awaited his unlikely dinner guest. The Voltron Force was present, as was Koran, also dressed in formal garb. Wearing the military uniform of a commanding Polluxian officer, Sven stood on hand representing Pollux in lieu of Princess Romelle. Both he and Keith agreed it would be better if the princess did not attend the meal, not only because of the history between Romelle and Lotor, but also because of the striking resemblance she bore to Allura. Not wanting to distract Lotor from his sole purpose for being here, the princess quickly agreed to cover ops in the Control Room while the evening meal and subsequent discussion took place in the formal dining room. The group had been briefed on how the discussion would proceed, with Keith taking the lead, and the other members contributing when appropriate. Key was keeping tempers and accusations in check.

At about half past six, the door swished open to reveal an Arusian steward. Stepping into the dining room, the young man formally announced the Doomian prince. "Ladies and gentleman, may I present, his royal highness, Prince Lotor of Planet Doom." The voice had a noticeable stutter as he stumbled over the name of the prince who, for so long, had terrorized his planet and its princess. Glancing at Keith, his soon-to-be-King, the steward nodded and moved out of the way, allowing Prince Lotor to saunter confidently into the room.

Even standing in the large formal dining room of the Castle of Lions, Lotor appeared an opposing figure. At six feet seven inches tall, the prince towered over even Hunk. The prince had changed out of his military uniform and into a formal Drule tunic, emblazoned with the crest of Doom. Gone were his winged helmet and lazon sword belt, much to Keith's relief. His white hair was pulled off his face and fastened with a leather cord. As his broad shoulders filled the double doorway, his yellow eyed glare took in the scene of the room. His ever present haughty grin revealed the fanged incisors at the corners of his mouth. Spotting Keith from across the room, he caught the commander's eye and his grin widened. "Good evening," he greeted the group with a formal bow.

"Prince Lotor," Keith acknowledged him. "Would you please come and have a seat? We will eat our meal first, and then begin our discussions over dessert, if that suits you?" Cocking a black eyebrow, he waited for the prince's response.

"That would be fine, thank you," Lotor replied, walking around the table to the chair that Keith indicated, just to his right. The significance of the seating arrangement did not go unnoticed by the Drule prince. Keith, the betrothed of the ruling princess and future monarch himself, sat at the head of the table. Commander Holgersson, as a representative of Planet Pollux, sat to Keith's left. His seat would be located on Keith's right, as was appropriate for someone of his station. Koran, as the Arusian chief advisor, was seated next to Sven. The rest of the Voltron Force occupied the remaining seats. Lotor had to hand it to Keith; courtly etiquette was being observed and so far, Lotor had been made to feel welcome in his enemies' home.

The members of the dinner party all took their places at their respective seats. Looking around, he gave a slight nod to all in attendance. Once the signal was given, the diners all took their seats as they waited for the servants to serve the first course.

As the maids came around with the salads, Keith took a moment to take in his guest. Never in a million years would he have believed that Prince Lotor would be having dinner sitting next to him. He wondered what Allura would think. The two were mortal enemies, having faced each other countless times in battle. It was Lotor Keith had to thank for the large scar that streaked across his chest and shoulder, a gift from Lotor's lazon sword during a particularly harrowing duel fought over the princess a few years ago. Now they sat at the same table, enjoying the same food, brought together out of concern for that same princess.

Feeling Keith's ebony eyes on him, Lotor glanced up from the delicious salad that had just been placed in front of him. A myriad of feelings came over the prince as he held the gaze of the man who had ultimately won the heart of the princess he adored. Swallowing his feelings of anger and jealousy, he instead offered a small nod of his head, acknowledging the same doubt and awe Keith was feeling. The two would never be friends or even allies, but they could put their differences aside for a short time and work together for this common cause that was important to both of them.

Upon seeing the prince's nod, Keith offered a small smile as both men dug into their salads, hunger ultimately overpowering the other feelings that were swirling in both of their heads. When the two monarchs had been served, the rest of the group dug into their food with a relish, relieved that things were, so far, going very smoothly.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Four courses and two hours later, the dining room was quiet as the meal was winding down. The only course left to be served was dessert, which was being cut and plated in the adjacent kitchen. The last of the main course dishes had been cleared away, and the servants were coming around with coffee for those diners that wanted it. Nodding, Lotor accepted the aromatic black liquid from the young maid who offered it with shaking hands. "Thank you," he said as he grabbed the clinking china from her hands. To Keith, he asked, "What is it?" Wrinkling his nose slightly, he sniffed the contents of his mug.

"Coffee," Keith responded, accepting his own cup with a smile from the young woman. "Thank you," he said to her before glancing up at Lotor's perplexed expression. "It's a hot drink originally from Terra," he continued. "It has caffeine and is usually consumed in the morning, as a stimulant to help one wake up. Some find it as a good compliment to dessert as well." Waving a hand at the table, he acknowledged the final course of the meal. "Such as we are now."

"Oh!" Lotor exclaimed. "It is like our _crutka. _A hearty hot drink that we use as we break fast in the morning." Taking a sip, Lotor let the dark brew invade his taste buds and slide down his throat. The coffee was bitter, but not as thick as the similar drink from his own world. Closing his yellow eyes, he found the coffee to have a rather pleasant taste. He let out a loud growl as the coffee finally settled pleasantly in his stomach. The sound startled the group at the table and caused six pairs of eyes to snap to the Doom prince. When he opened his eyes, he noticed the surprised expressions on the others' faces. With a fang-toothed smile, he admitted, "That's surprisingly good!"

Snorting, Lance blurted out what everyone else was thinking, "With that reaction, we thought you hated it!" Nervous laughter erupted from around the room as the diners around the table relaxed. With a noticeable sigh of relief, the group partook of their own coffee as the cheesecake appeared from the kitchen. It was when the last dessert was served when Lance finally broke the silence. "So Prince Lotor," he began. "Why exactly are you here?" Sarcasm and doubt oozed from the Red Lion pilot's voice.

Fighting to control his temper from flaring, Lotor finished swallowing his bite of cheesecake. Fixing his yellow stare at the pilot who had the reputation of a hothead, the prince fought to keep his voice even. "I am here," he explained, "because I have information, I believe, could be helpful in assisting you in locating Princess Allura."

Flinching slightly at hearing the name of his princess cross the lips of the person who terrorized her, Koran stared at Lotor. "Your majesty," he posed, his diplomatic skills firmly in place. "Would you mind telling us how you came to suspect that something happened to our princess?" His tone became angry as he continued his line of questioning. "Why should we believe that you had nothing to do with her disappearance?"

Swallowing hard, Lotor prayed to the gods of his world for patience. Coming to Arus, he knew the adversity he would face. Why should the Voltron Force believe him after all the attacks and attempts on the princess? Hoping that following Keith's directives for the meeting would give him some credibility, Lotor refused to be baited. Instead, he responded to Koran's inquiry with some questions of his own. "Do you really think I would contact you and offer information if I had anything to do with Allura's disappearance? Do you really think I would come here, alone, without back up, if I were not sincere?" His demeanor changed as the familiar Lotor emerged on the prince's face. Anger and fury threatened to spill over as he quipped sarcastically, "If I had the princess, I would be calling to gloat, not offering to help." Glancing over at Keith, he asked, "Now can we get down to business or not? If not, I will take what I know elsewhere. Commander?" Turning away from Koran, Lotor made it clear that he would deal only with Keith.

Refusing to react to Lotor's words, Keith kept his face impassive. Shooting a warning glance at Koran, Keith ran his hand through his thick black hair. "Prince Lotor, I'm sorry," he apologized for the advisor's outburst. "I am sure you can understand how frazzled and worried we all are about the princess's safety. I believe you are here for the right reasons." The commander grasped at straws to try and smooth the prince's ruffled feathers. "Of course, we can proceed with our discussions."

Crossing his arms across his chest, Lotor sat back in his chair. "Then let's get on with it," he said, anger still evident in his voice. "Do not mistaken my generosity for weakness."

"Of course not," Keith replied. Looking around at the other seated around the table, the commander laid out very clearly his expectations. "From here on out, I will lead the discussion with his highness," he directed. "When your expertise is needed, I will defer to you. Otherwise…" He shot warning looks around the table. "…you will keep your mouths shut. Am I understood?"

Sven and the other members of the Voltron Force immediately mumbled an acknowledgement to Keith's command. Koran remained silent.

Keith looked at the princess's advisor and father figure. His eyes locked with Koran's. Begging him to follow his lead, Keith knew that they could not let Lotor see any dissension within their ranks. Raising his eyebrows, the commander silently asked him again. When the advisor finally nodded, Keith turned back to Lotor. "Would you please explain how you came to believe that something had happened to Allura?"

Gulping the rest of his coffee, Lotor snapped his eyes to Keith. "When my father informed me that he had eliminated my distraction."

The room erupted into chaos at Lotor's revelation. Koran slammed his hands on the table. Hunk immediately clenched his fist and pounded into his other hand as Pidge stood, his chair flying. Lance stared slack jawed at the prince, his heart rate rising in terror.

Only Keith remained in his seat unmoving. He waited for Lotor to continue, knowing that the Drule had not finished. "Your father? Do you mean to tell me your father has something to do with Allura's abduction?"

Nodding his head, Lotor sat back in his chair, a very relaxed posture in light of what he had just revealed. "I suspect that he does, yes. You see, my father is tired of my failures," he explained. "My father thinks that Allura is my distraction, the one thing that is keeping me from achieving my true greatness as Prince of Doom and conqueror. He thinks that if he could get Allura out of the way, I could achieve my true potential." Reaching for his fork, he took his last bite of cheesecake. "Despite what you all think, I truly do care for Allura and want to see her return unharmed."

When a buzz of doubt flared up around the table, Keith silenced his teammates with a stern expression on his face. Not here to debate Lotor's sincerity of his feelings for the princess, he had to keep the conversation focused on what the prince knew. Adding his information to the intel they already had could help them pinpoint captor, or motive, or location of the princess's whereabouts. Taking a deep breath, Keith crossed his arms across his powerful chest. "We are not here to dispute your feelings, Prince Lotor. We are here to see what we can learn from each other. If what you pledged at the beginning is true, then we have a common goal in mind….to bring the princess home safe and sound."

When the prince noticeably relaxed, as did the rest of the Voltron Force and Koran seated around the table, the conversation continued, with both sides revealing snippets of what they knew. Despite the new information gained, both Keith and his team and Prince Lotor were still befuddled at exactly who took the princess and why.


	24. Chapter 24

Happy New Year! Can you believe it is 2017? Time sure does fly. I have made it one of my New Year's Resolutions to start writing again, and one of the first things I want to do is finish this baby up. I apologize for the long hiatus. I haven't updated since July. I won't hold myself to a time frame or a schedule, but I want to try and definitely get this done within the 2017 year.

Thanks for all of you who have stayed with me. Please review; I truly appreciate the feedback. Let's continue this journey!

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Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please don't use without my permission.

Enoy!

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Chapter 23

Light years away on Planey Rydrax, the blackness of night had settled on the planet. Isla lay on her makeshift bed on the couch in the sitting room of the grand suite that held Princess Allura captive. Though exhausted, the young woman was unable to sleep. Her conversation with the princess played and replayed in her mind. Though she was terrified for her own safety and the safety of her madam and employer, Isla stood steadfast in her intention to help the princess. She just needed to wait for the perfect opportunity.

She had spent the better part of the day attending to Allura and observing the comings and goings of Mr. Leonard and his Drule compatriot. One of them was always present, overseeing things in the suite. When Artie was here, he kept the brooch tightly clutched in his hand, as if it were as much a trophy of triumph as the princess herself. Not knowing the significance of the brooch, she thought it was the monetary value that caused him to hold it close. Even now, the brooch lay grasped in his hand as he lay across the room on the other couch, snoring loudly as he slept.

Suddenly, the main door to the suite opened and Rallock stomped in. Walking over to Artie, the Drule shook the smaller man awake. Turned toward the back of the couch, Isla feigned sleep. Wanting to hear what they had to say, she lay motionless, hoping to hear something that could help the princess.

"Wake up!" Rallock growled at Artie. "Wake up, you fool."

With a start and a loud snort, Artie emerged regretfully from his slumber. With fists flying, he flailed out at the person who interrupted his sleep. Seeing it was Rallock, he shot a nasty glare. "What is the matter with you?" he bellowed. "I had just fallen asleep after being awake guarding the princess all day."

Isla listened as the Drule stomped across the room to sit on the adjacent arm chair. "I have just heard from my contact on Doom," he explained vehemently. "It appears that there is a complication to our plan, one that my contact did not account for." There was a pause before the Drule continued. "We have to move the princess sooner than we had anticipated."

Lying motionless on the couch with her back to the captors, Isla perked her ears up. This was information that the princess would need to know. With her eyes tightly shut, the young prostitute listened intently as the conversation continued.

"What do you mean _complication_?" Artie spat out. "What complication? And what do you mean we have to move the princess? We are paid here through the week and have no plans beyond the brothel. Where are we to go?" Mr. Leonard sounded like he was almost whining.

"Let me worry about that," Rallock barked. As if suddenly aware that the two of them were not alone, Rallock stopped talking. Isla heard him rise from his chair, and a moment later, he stalked over to where she lay, supposedly sleeping.

Hearing his footsteps stop behind her, she heard the floor creak as he kneeled behind her, watching her as she pretended to sleep. Feeling his yellow eyes glaring down at her, she resisted the urge to shudder in terror and instead remained motionless. Her breathing remained even and her body maintained a relaxed, prone position. When he poked her gently in the ribs, she reacted as if she was in a deep sleep, moaning slightly as she turned to lay on her back, her slumber briefly disrupted. Keeping her eyes closed, he settled into her new position, throwing her hand over her face, as if to block out the harsh light from the lamp on the nearby side table that suddenly shined in her eyes.

After several more moments, she heard Rallock stand and walk back over to Artie, who must have watched the scene from his vantage point on the other couch. The Drule's voice dropped to a whisper, but her sharp ears could still hear what he was saying. "She is sound asleep, so I doubt she heard any of what was said. Still…" A pause. "I think we should continue this conversation elsewhere, just in case the whore wakes up."

"Ok," Artie responded quietly. "Let's head to the bar downstairs where we can talk more freely, so you can clue me in onto what your plan is." Sarcasm and anger oozed from Artie's voice, the Arusian making it plain that he was not happy at the sudden turn of events. A moment later, two sets of steps walked toward the door to the outside hallway, followed by the quiet shutting of the door and the clicking of the many locks that helped keep the princess imprisoned.

Sitting up suddenly, Isla opened her eyes and glanced anxiously around the room. Breathing rapidly, she realized she had to inform the princess about what she knew. Swiveling her legs over the side of the couch, she went to stand up when her green eyes caught sight of something shiny glinting on the coffee table in front of her. With a quiet yelp of joy, Isla grabbed the Lion brooch, left behind by Artie. He must have forgotten about it in his hurry to discuss the revised plan with Rallock and left it behind in the suite.

Reaching out, the prostitute fingered the priceless heirloom between trembling fingers. Turning it over, she looked at it closely and ran her fingers along the underside of the pin, feeling for the small hidden button the princess had described. Unable to find it, she considered taking it into the princess herself, but quickly talked herself out of it. Artie could return at any moment, realizing he left the brooch behind. No. It was up to her to find. Running her fingers along the pin again, she noticed an extra piece of gold that seemed to stick out uncharacteristically where the pin hooked onto itself. Pushing it with a fingertip, she felt the little button give as it slid down. With a sigh of relief that she had found the homing device button, she pressed and held it for several seconds before she returned the brooch to the coffee table. Carefully positioning the brooch as it was when she found it, she then stood and stretched, shaking the stress and fatigue from her mind and limbs. With a new purpose, she strode toward the princess's chamber, intending to inform her of everything that had transpired in the last few minutes.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Bored with nothing to do after having her evening meal in her room, Lady Crystali wandered the corridors of the Castle of Lions. Lord Dearling and his wife had been sent home with a contingent of guards to care for them and their traumatized daughter. Koran attended the diplomatic dinner with Commander Kogane and the rest of the Voltron Force as they met with Prince Lotor. Nanny busied herself with the cleanup of the kitchens after the ostentatious meal and the continued running of the Castle of Lions in the princess's stead. Tired of feeling useless, Lady Crystali found herself once again in Castle Control.

Coming from a long line of Arusian nobles, Crystali always prided her people on the fact that women were often given the same opportunities as men in terms of education, diplomacy, and military training. The ruler of the Eastern province fully supported the princess of Arus when she took over the piloting of Blue Lion, declaring it her right as Alfor's daughter and future queen of Arus. So Lady Crystali was completely unsurprised when she walked into Castle Control to find Allura's cousin, Princess Romelle, at the helm of the room's mighty computer. The Polluxian princess's blue eyes scanned the monitors and continually flitted across the satellite readouts and communication relays. Hearing the lady enter control, she glanced toward her with a brief "Good evening" before returning her focus to the screens in front of her.

Not wanting to distract the princess from her post, Lady Crystali glanced around at the exhausted faces of the Arusian guards who manned other stations around the room. She could tell from their defeated expressions that nothing new had been reported and no new intel had come in. They were doing their best to maintain their posts and do their jobs, even with their future queen absent. Such faithful and loyal subjects were the Arusian people, and Lady Crystali knew they would work endlessly to find their missing monarch. Stepping in behind Princess Romelle, Lady Crystali gave a start when a weird beeping sound suddenly filled Castle Control.

The room erupted into a flurry of activity with the insistent chirping sound. Princess Romelle's eyes flitted across the screens and monitors as she pushed gauges and buttons, trying desperately to pinpoint the source of the beacon. After eliminating the threat of an unknown craft or Robeast in Arusian airspace, Princess Romelle looked around in confusion. "I cannot pinpoint location or source," she called to the nearby Arusian guards flanking the main door to Castle Control. "I think we better get Tech Sargeant Stokker or Commander Kogane down here to interpret the signal."

With a quick salute, the Arusian guard, second-in-command under Romelle at the moment, dashed over to a nearby console and dialed into Keith's private comm channel. Though the commander explicitly demanded not to be disturbed, the incessant beeping seemed to grow more and more urgent the longer it went on. Swallowing his trepidation, he sent a request right to the commander's comm unit. The room held its breath as they waited for the commander to answer.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Keith, Prince Lotor, Koran, Sven, and the rest of the Voltron Force had long finished their meals. Sitting around the dining room table where their eating had ceased two hours before, the group shared and tried to make sense of the information that they had garnered since the princess had been kidnapped. Connecting the bits and pieces of intel was proving to be an almost impossible challenge.

Prince Lotor finished telling the commander and the rest of the Force about the missing decade old fighter and the falsified codes used to cover its tracks. When Keith confirmed to the prince that an outdated Doom cruiser had been involved in the princess's disappearance, Lotor surmised that it must be his favorite old relic.

"But it doesn't make any sense?" Hunk repeated for the third time. His words echoed what everyone else was thinking. "Why would they use an old Doom cruiser? One that has been out of commission for ten years?"

"Don't you see," Lotor sighed in exasperation. "Whoever these kidnappers may be, they are trying to connect the princess's kidnapping back to Doom. More importantly, back to me. That missing ship is one of my favorites." When confusion still colored the faces of the Red, Yellow, and Green Lion pilots, Lotor looked to their commander for help.

Sitting deep in thought, Keith wracked his brain as he tried to put the puzzle pieces together. "Lotor," Keith sat up suddenly. Then remembering his training in courtly etiquette, he reined in his exuberance and tried again. "Prince Lotor," he said more reservedly. "The ship you say is missing is an older ship, ten years old. The ship Lord Dearling saw in the meadow was definitely Drule, though he said and I quote, 'It did not look like any Drule ship I have seen in recent years.' It must be one in the same."

"But how did the ship get past your sensors?" Lotor questioned. "Though I know Doom technology, even tech a decade old, far surpasses Arusian technology, the ship should not have made it past your sensors."

Choosing to ignore the rip on Arusian technology, much of which he was personally responsible for, Pidge responded to the prince of Doom's question. "It seems the ship was retrofitted with a holo-skin."

Knitting his eyebrows in confusion, Lotor leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as his yellow eyes glared at the young Green Lion pilot. "A holo-skin?" he repeated, fascination evident in his voice. "Explain this holo-skin. I have never heard of such a thing."

"It's new technology," Sven offered. "Stolen from a Garrison convoy about two weeks ago. The raiders were reported to be Drules from Doom." Sitting back, the Polluxian prince consort stared skeptically at the man who had terrorized his wife only a few years ago. "Are you claiming you knew nothing of this?"

Shaking his head, Lotor frowned. Hoping to avoid admitting that he and his father had not seen eye to eye as of late, the prince needed to keep his own innocence front and center. "No," he confessed. "Two weeks ago, my father ordered me to stand down and took my command from me. I have been traveling around the galaxy visiting Doomian planets and outposts." He paused. When no one interrupted, Lotor continued. "I only arrived home last night, on the order from my father. I have not been briefed formally about what has gone on in my absence."

Saying nothing through the whole exchange, Keith stood suddenly and walked over to the large window that overlooked Castle Lake. Gazing into the blue depths, the commander could just make out the lights that marked the resting place of Blue Lion. Squeezing his eyes shut, he took a deep, cleansing breath as his fiancée's beautiful face appeared in his mind's eye. _Allura, _he prayed to her, for her. _Help me find you. Please!_ he begged. Staring at Blue Lion, he gave a start as realization struck. Turning on his heel, he faced the rest of the occupants of the room.

"This is what we know," he reiterated, drawing the attention of all in the room. "Whoever kidnapped Allura has a connection with Doom. Those orders did not come from Lotor, as we originally figured." He shrugged apologetically at Prince Lotor, who acknowledged his regret with a quick bow of his head. "We suspect that the orders came from Zarkon, but at this point we cannot be sure. Zarkon has neither claimed nor denied responsibility." When the rest of those seated around the table nodded, the commander resumed his analysis. "We have to turn our focus away from who took her to where they took her. That's where we need to start if we have hopes of getting her back."

Looking thoughtful, Lotor interrupted anything else Keith may have said. "No one infiltrated the Castle or took any hostages?" he asked, earning an annoyed nod from the commander. "You claim she just disappeared?"

"No, she was transported," Pidge piped up, holding the small metal disk between his thumb and forefinger. "She was transported with this." Tossing the small disk to the Doom prince, he waited for Lotor to examine it.

"What is this?" Lotor once again looked both confused and intrigued as he fingered the small piece of metal.

Shaking his head, Hunk eyed the white haired prince suspiciously. Either Lotor really was in the dark about everything that was going on, or the prince was one hell of an actor. Reaching out his large, beefy hand, the Yellow Lion pilot wordlessly requested the disk. When Lotor immediately complied, Hunk once again used his small screwdriver to pry the back off the disk. Handing it back to Lotor, he simply said, "You tell us what it is."

Narrowing his eyes at the accusing tone coming from the large man, Lotor glanced down at the inner workings of the disk. Seeing the mark of Doom, he sat stunned. He had never seen this technology before. Understanding the suspicion of those around him, he started to defend himself when an incessant beeping from the commander's communicator cut him off.

Grabbing the comm angrily from his belt, the commander answered it gruffly. "Kogane, here," he barked. "This had better be good."

"Commander," a female voice came through the static of the comm. "This is Princess Romelle in Castle Control. I am sorry to interrupt, but we have an unidentified homing signal coming into Castle Control," she explained. "We cannot pinpoint source or reason. Perhaps you or Pidge..."

"Understood," Keith replied, cutting her off before she could say any more. Turning his ebony gaze to Pidge, he ordered, "Report to Castle Control. See if that signal is what I think it is."

"Aye, Commander," Pidge murmured as he ran out the door.

"McClain, Garrett," Keith spoke to Lance and Hunk. "Will you please escort Prince Lotor back to his quarters?" Looking to Lotor, Keith explained, "We will continue this discussion once I assess what's going on in Castle Control. This may be the information we have been waiting for." Turning away before the prince could protest, he caught Sven's eye. With a wordless exchange and a curt nod, the prince consort of Pollux and soon-to-be king of Arus exited the room together.

As Lotor made to follow, he was stopped by the voice of Koran, the princess's advisor and father figure.

With his practiced diplomacy firmly in place, the advisor bowed to their guest. "Your highness," he implored in his deep voice. "This way please." Gesturing with his arm, he motioned toward the door to the hall that led to the Castle of Lion's guest quarters.

Glancing from Koran to Lance to Hunk, Lotor could clearly see that he was outnumbered. Knowing he would be quickly overtaken if he tried to fight, he relented and nodded with gritted teeth at Koran. Hoping Kogane would make good on his promise and come retrieve him soon, he exited the dining room, flanked on either side by Hunk and Lance. Maybe it was time for Lotor to contact his father on his own.


End file.
